SWKOTOR: Destiny's Pawn Korriban
by Allronix
Summary: After the devastating revelation aboard the Leviathan, the crew land on the planet of Korriban - heart of the Dark Side itself. In the process, what will Kairi discover about her past and will Carth fight the darkness in his own soul?
1. Peace is a Lie

**PART 7: METAL**

**KORRIBAN**

**Chapter 1**

**Peace is a Lie**

It always starts innocently enough.

Once, Revan sought the Star Forge to protect the Republic, to make certain no atrocity would sweep the galaxy the way the Mandalorians had. In the end, protection seemed laughable. The galaxy was one of endless conflict and war – and the end of that conflict only brought about another.

Once, a pilot named Carth Onasi thought his wife and son would be safe on the Outer Rim world of Telos, which had been far from any conflicts of the Mandalorian War. His trust in his Republic and his commanding officer was shattered in hours with a brutal bombing that took all he loved - a wife, a son, his trust, and even a beloved home world.

Once, Bastila acted out of every noble intention instilled into her by the Order that trained her since early childhood and spared the life of a foe, a foe her Order hadn't considered taking alive. Again, acting from the most noble of intentions, she had fused her own life with the ashes of a Sith Lord, creating something that could grow into something else - neither a Sith Lord reborn or a light-holding Jedi. To save the life she had borne and the life of Carth Onasi, she threw herself into a hopeless battle.

Once, a shy woman awoke on Taris with no memories, only a dry datapad file with her name, a few abilities that defined explanation, and the safety of a Republic soldier's companionship. As they struggled from one challenge to the next, her thoughts centered on protecting of the makeshift family she and the soldier had assembled. All of them were in pain of one sort or another, and she had made it her goal to relieve them of as much as she could. Only later did she learn the terrible truth - that she had, in a life she could not remember, been the cause for much of that pain.

Innocence never lasts. It is too easily broken, too easily turned to ash when exposed to the harsh realities of the universe. And when innocence dies, something else must step in and replace the void.

The Dark Side is always eager to volunteer.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

There didn't seem to be a point to the communal meal anymore. The fears of another encounter like that of the _Leviathan_ made it so no one wanted to leave a post abandoned - not even for a few minutes. Little could be done to alleviate the funereal mood among the crew. They held together as best they could, but their strong web now had gaping holes in its center. Bastila was undergoing a fate that would make death seem pleasant. Everyone knew it. Aboard the ship, Mission tried to keep the peace, but it was taking its toll on the girl. Her smiles did not reach her eyes and her head-tails drooped like wilting vines. Zaalbar tried his best to cheer her, and made only the faintest success. As if in penance or quarantine, Kairi had moved into Bastila's quarters in the aft stateroom, the only private room to be found on ship. Carth pulled double shifts at the helm, downing caffa to postpone fitful, exhausted sleep.

Canderous glumly moved to the cockpit. He wasn't about to let Carth pull double shift three nights in a row. Time to haul his rear out of that cockpit and into bed for his own good. Fellow may have had a bantha's endurance, but even banthas had their limits, and a warrior was no good when he was battling fatigue more than his opposition. The door opened, and Carth was there, eyes glazed from too little sleep and too much staring at controls. T3-M4 was plugged into the copilot console.

"No, T3, that's not right. I said boost those damn outputs! What do you mean that's the highest you can go? Can't you do a damn thing -? Never the frak mind. Sooner we get to that Sith rat hole, the sooner we get that map, and the sooner this madman's truce here ends."

The little droid warbled something that sounded like a scared apology.

"You're not the problem. You're programmed not to give a rip. It's the rest of them I don't get. How can they not care what kind of monster we have aboard ship?" He threw up his hands. "She's got them wrapped about her little finger, of course - you included."

Another series of indignant bleeps indicated the droid's opinion.

"Yeah, well I didn't ask you, did I? Just go back to that engine calculation. You boost that, or you're better off as scrap, got it?"

_Not worth breaking all this equipment. Let's take this elsewhere._

Canderous spun the pilot's seat around and yanked Carth from it, hauling him bodily out of the cramped room. "Keep flying, T3."

Canderous hauled Carth in the communications room just off the cockpit, sealed the door behind them, and decked the younger man in the jaw so hard it knocked him to the floor.

"I should kill you," Canderous said evenly. "I'm not even sure why I haven't already."

The entire right side of his face hurt, and Carth could tell that Canderous had knocked a molar loose. Still...

"She...she destroyed your kind, too."

"And saved your filthy Republic in the process. Perhaps, it's not worth saving for all the gratitude you give her acts."

The pain was starting to ebb down to a dull throb, and Carth was trying to pull himself up. "Maybe we'd be a bit more grateful if she didn't go from kicking your butts to kicking ours. Burning worlds, killing millions..."

He found himself yanked to his feet and slammed so hard against the bulkhead his ears were ringing.

"Damn you Republic men. Aware of your shortcomings, but not of the opportunities present in them. Think, man! Revan; the same who led your people to victory over mine, the one Malak himself was too frightened to face in open combat, the name that makes him tremble still - and she is on our side!"

"You sure of that?"

Canderous let out a curse so rich that the walls should have melted. The larger man shifted position, one giant hand clasped about Carth's throat, the other putting Carth's arms in an elbow lock.

Canderous leaned in, dropping his voice to barely past a whisper. "Do you want to know how many men I have killed, Carth? How many of those were wearing that orange and red uniform, carrying Republic-issue blasters and looking at me with hatred and fear? Hundreds, with these hands alone, or with a vibroblade rending flesh - I even used to put notches on my gun. I told you of this. I make no apologies for the lives I have ended and world I have burned."

"I know." Carth didn't move. Every logical part of him said he should be struggling for his life, so why wasn't he terrified? How was it he could hold his ground?

"You knew this when you decided to come with me on a Dantooine afternoon." Again, the voice was quiet, breath just tickling his ear. "You risked the possibility I would murder you as soon as we were outside that enclave."

"I can defend myself." Carth hissed in reply.

"I know you can," Canderous said. He pulled back. All Carth could see were those iron eyes boring into him, demanding an answer. "Yet even now, when my hand could end your life with a squeeze, you do not beg for your life."

"You won't kill me," Carth said evenly.

"How can you be sure?" The hand clasped about Carth's neck started to tighten, and black spots started to crop up into his field of vision. "Beg me. Beg me like the good soldier you are."

Half-wondering if it would be his last word, Carth gasped. "No."

Canderous released his grip, and stepped backward. Carth dropped to his knees, inhaling breaths of sweet air as he rubbed his sore neck.

"A soldier would have struggled for his life. A soldier does not spend years hunting down his faithless dog of a former commander and relish the moment he thrusts a blade into the traitor's gullet." Canderous spat out "soldier" like it was some kind of insult. "Soldiers certainly do not trust a former enemy the way you just trusted me, and I've shown a damn sight less repentance than Revan has."

Carth tried to look up, to insist he was a soldier, but he couldn't seem to form words.

"Your words are those of a soldier, but I have faced battle with you at my side, Carth of Telos. A warrior's heart is what beats within your chest. You'll accept this, or you will die. No one can do it for you."

Was it Carth's imagination, or did Canderous look heartbroken?

"Decide. Are you my brother in battle, or just another soldier?" Canderous turned on his heel and left the small, dark room and marched into the cockpit.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

She was in the cargo hold again, the improvised practice drones on the highest setting. Kairi sensed their movements through the blindfold. Five floating spheres, with spare parts salvaged from HK-47 and T3-M4, were equipped with sonic weapons, flame throwers, stun rays, and laser shot.

_I can't afford to fail. No less than perfection, just as Master Vrook had tried to scold me into believing. He knew what I was. He knew I was a danger to everyone in that enclave._

With a speed more rapid than human reflexes should allow, she spun out of the training laser's shot. Rolling out of the way, she brought up her new saber to strike and block the next droid's shot, sending it back to its point of origin. The flame thrower's jet almost struck her in the back, but she pushed back with a wave of kinetic energy, deflecting the burst. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead with the effort.

_It would figure that even the Force turns its back on me now. More effort is needed. I have to put more effort into this. _

With the flame cannon spent, and Kairi got close enough to deliver a spinning kick into the droid, hurtling it to shatter against the wall. Faster…harder…more effort…Her saber sliced through the third. A wave of her fingers and the fourth seemed to ionize, spinning out of control and slamming into the fifth, destroying both on impact.

Kairi pulled off the blindfold and let it drop to the floor. More effort. She would have to get HK-47 in there. The assassin droid didn't tire of combat drills, and cheerfully reminisced about its assassination and capture missions Revan had sent it on. She was picking up the pieces of the destroyed drones when the door opened.

"My, my...at least your ability to use a lightsaber has recovered fully; probably even improved."

"I should not have recovered at all," she said harshly. "I should be dead several times over."

Jolee leaned against the wall, all feigned indifference and flippant commentary. "You and everyone else here," he said with a shrug.

It may have fooled any other Jedi, but not her. She saw the fault lines of concern, and could smell curiosity. He had a Pazaak desk in his hand – most likely Mission's.

"There is no point in stopping to play, Jolee."

"And there is a lot of point to exhausting yourself with endless drills, or by only eating survival portions of rations, or by locking yourself inside the back stateroom to hide the fact you aren't sleeping?" He shoved the deck in his robe's pocket and marched up to her. "I'm the closest thing this crew has to a doctor, so as such, I'm pulling rank and ordering you to get a hot meal and at least one round of Pazaak."

"Rank? There isn't such a thing here."

"No more or less so than any other smuggling boat," Jolee argued. "Fact remains that you were an eyelash away from death three weeks ago. On top of that, we're headed for Korriban of all places. Go in half dead and there are a dozen or more right on the space dock wanting to finish the job."

"I'll take that under advisement," she said icily.

She had only enough time to process Jolee dropping his mask surging with anger and impatience. With two quick gestures, he triggered the hatches and sealed them in the room.

"Oops," he said, his tone of voice teetering between casual and angry. "Clumsy me."

She did not move, keeping her arms folded. "Didn't it occur to you that I'm not supposed to survive this mission?"

"Yes, actually. The Jedi don't execute their prisoners, except when they do. They put a lot into appearances and covering their shebs since Exar Kun. Can't blame them, but want no part in it, either."

"I'm too dangerous to live. Just what do you do with a extraneous Sith Lord? It would make for the tidiest ending if I made sure Malak was dead, but did not survive after. No loose ends. It makes a perverse sense from a tactical point of view. If you make a weapon designed to hit your target, but that could turn around and destroy you afterward, wouldn't you design it for self destruct once the mission is carried out?"

"So you are going to die for their convenience?"

"I'm not a person, Jolee. I'm just a weapon. No more than an assassin droid so that the Jedi council can think they took the high road and not get their hands dirty. I've accepted that, why can't everyone else?"

"If you'd accepted that, you wouldn't be trying to kill yourself before dealing with Malak. I'm not the empath you are, but I don't have to be. Your actions betray you."

Kairi sighed. "I need to isolate myself from the rest of the crew. I did enough damage to Bastila. She was trying to protect everyone from me, and I was too much of a _di'kut_ to see it before."

"Funny. While I'm sure Revan knew Mando'a, I don't think she used it in casual conversation."

"You used it, too."

Jolee shrugged. "Canderous is the only fellow here not young enough to be my son. Us old folks have to stick together and talk about how big of fools the younger generation are...Well, when we aren't talking about our aching backs and knees."

"I suppose there is little point in arguing with you some more. I'll see if there's some protein rations in the galley." She gestured and opened the closet door.

"Kairi," Jolee said. "For what it means, I do not care what you were. I already knew. Revan and Malak had to pass through the Shadowlands on their way to get that map. I know what I saw then and I know what I see now. I wouldn't have come along if I saw the same person."

"I wish Revan were dead," Kairi said. "If only for everyone to have their peace."

She walked out quickly, while she still had enough resolve to do so.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

She hadn't had a chance to get back to her quarters. As she was trying to pull her dignity about her like the heavy black cloak she had taken to wearing, she ran face-first into a man's jacket. A certain very worn, very orange jacket. She looked up. Carth seemed to be distracted as well, rubbing his chin as a bruise was starting to discolor a patch of his jaw.

"I...I was just headed for Jolee in the med bay," he sheepishly admitted.

He stammered out the words, but could have babbled in Twi'leki for all he knew. All that time they'd been out from Yavin, he had tried to avoid catching a glance of her, tried shoving things to the back of his mind, even tried denying her existence.

His grandfather used to keep a small puzzle. If one held it at a certain angle, one saw a crystal vase. Shift the angle ever so slightly, and the vase was gone - replaced with a pair of stone faces in profile. Carth spent a good deal of time looking at his grandfather's puzzle, trying to find just the right angle to see both. His vision was wavering just the same way as he looked at the woman in front of him. In a heavy black cloak, the hood pulled halfway across her face, he could see Revan. Yet, with just the slightest shift in perception, there was Kairi, someone he missed so much it ached. Just like grandfather's puzzle, there didn't seem to be an angle where he saw both at the same time.

She reached up, and lightly brushed his jaw. There was a flash of pain, but the molar seemed to settle back into place, and the bruising started to fade.

"Who did that? Canderous?"

"I...I think I earned it," he admitted.

All she did was look him square in the eye. "I know you don't trust me. You have every right not to."

"Maybe. You've kept things on course so far, _Revan._" He used the name intentionally, to remind himself what he was dealing with. "But you know where my loyalties are - to the Republic. I will not let you betray it under any circumstances."

"Good," she said. "Are you still willing to follow the plan we made before Leviathan?"

The question threw him into confusion? Which plan? The plan for him to take her to his bunk? The plan he had to get her the hell away from anything resembling a lightsaber for a good long time? The plan to break into that Sith Academy, grab his kid using anything up to and including Bothan stun-sticks, and haul him off for a good long talk?

She reminded him of which one. "The two of us would take the droids and find a way into the academy. Anyone who knows the Map's location is likely to be there. I can rearrange it if you can't work with me."

"Plan goes on schedule. I told you I won't let my...personal feelings get in the way of the job." _Which feelings, Onasi?_ "I made my vow and I plan to see it through."

"That's good," she admitted. "T3-M4 already minds us both, so I'm not so worried about him. As for HK-47, he's been programmed to follow you should I be incapacitated, but I want him to obey you as much as he does me. Think of it as...as a backup in case..." Was she really as scared by the prospect as she looked?

"All the bases covered. Sounds familiar."

"Does it?"

"Yeah, it was what Rev - you -" He threw up his hands. "Hell, I can't do this. Maybe you're better off asking one of the others. One second I'm seeing Revan, the next I can't see you as Revan at all."

She folded her arms, not budging. "Who would you trust to help me get your son out of that academy?"

Damn. She still knew where to nail him, no matter what she was calling herself. "You win. I'm still going to watch you program HK-47, though. Just to make sure our bases are covered. And is our earlier agreement in place?"

"Earlier arrangement?"

"Yeah, the 'no secrets' one we agreed to on Tatooine. I tell you, you tell me." He tried to throw up a wall of anger, keep her empathy from reading too closely. Damned if he would falter - not when there was so much on the line. Still…

She looked up at him with the oddest expression on her face. He couldn't tell if it was heartbreak, anger, or disappointment. "You are the last person I ever wanted to betray, and that is true even now."

Pulling the cloak about herself, she started heading to HK-47's usual post in the armory. Carth followed at her heels. They arrived just as the red-plated droid was finishing up his recharge cycle. Upon Kairi's entrance, he jerked to full attention.

"Statement: Good Evening, Master! Are you ready to spread the good news among the Sith? That their true master lives still?"

He was hoping she would have the grace to wince at that, but she merely waved off the suggestion. "No, HK. We must be silent about my identity, especially on Korriban. Stealth and secrecy are to be our weapons. Let Malak think he succeeded in killing me, at least for the moment."

"Acknowledgment: Yes, master! Of course. How silly of me to suggest such an approach. I shall surely like to see the look on meat-bag Malak's face when he learns of your continued survival. We shall lie in wait and strike when he has foolishly lowered his guard. Statement: I regret my assassination protocol is still non-functional as of yet. Perhaps in time, you will repair it?"

Kairi didn't answer that. "Since you're going with Carth and me to Korriban, and now that full memory has been restored, I am updating your protocols."

If the droid could roll its eyes, Carth swore it would have. "Impatience: Master, have I not been a fully loyal and useful droid to you with my current protocols?"

Her voice was like ice. "The update is necessary. Turn around."

Like a petulant child, the droid turned around, and Kairi picked up the spanner to open his back hatch.

The droid's eyes flashed gold for a second. "Statement: You have a concern and reverence for life you did not under your former designation. It is most disturbing. I still am amazed that an organic like yourself could endure such an indignity."

"Carth," she asked. "Please sit by me. I think I'll need another set of hands."

Hesitantly, he crouched next to her, the toolbox between them. She pushed the hood away. Carth felt his gut twist. Sweet Mother Telos, did he really manage to force himself to forget that much about her face?

He was looking at the Gordian knot of circuitry and wires she had asked him to hold while she picked up a probe. "Did you really build this droid, Rev -as Revan?"

The tinny vocorder voice registered as much annoyance as a droid could manage. "Explantion: Of course, she built me. Do not ask such foolish questions. _My_ memory may be restored, but I'm afraid the damage done to Mistress Kairi-Revan was irreparable." There was a faint whirring of gears as HK-47 hung his head to give her better access. "Statement: If I had only known of your apprentice's treachery, Master, I would have certainly hung him by his own entrails."

"Would have saved us a lot of trouble, HK," Carth weakly joked.

Did she wince? Hard to tell. "I doubt there was anything you could have done, given the circumstances."

"Contemplation: Perhaps you are correct. I am once again with my proper master, and neither of us has suffered permanent termination." Another whir of gears as the droid shifted position to accommodate her work. "I still would have liked to make the meat-bag Malak very sorry for his poor choices, however."

She found the board she was looking for and pressed the probe to it. After a few seconds, she handed the probe to Carth and picked up a second tool that was small and thin, barely the size of a stylus.

"Request: I do hope you are not to make a pacifist out of me, Master. I would so dislike to have my functions wasted so."

"Why not? Gets at least one ticking bomb off the ship," Carth commented sarcastically. "Do we have to take this crazy droid along?"

The droid's head nearly swiveled a full 180 degrees. "Warning: You will not underestimate me. Query: Can we please reduce his status to meat-bag?"

"No, HK. He's critical to this assignment," she replied with more than a little annoyance. "I'm going to have to take down a couple of your functions for a few minutes."

She made a small twist with the tool, and HK-47 slumped over. "Indignation: That was VERY disruptive to my systems, Master!"

Now, she was starting to show annoyance. "I don't particularly care, HK. This has to be done."

"Statement: Yes, there is the harsh and brutal master I remember."

She must have miscalibrated something, because there was a slight shower of sparks. The shock caused her to jump involuntarily, and the tool dropped from her hands and dropped somewhere in HK-47's chassis. She shook the hand that got shocked. "Damn!"

"It's okay, I'll help," Carth said, taking her burned hand. "That...that's what I'm here for?" It came out as more a question than anything.

"Maybe you'd be better off leaving me alone to do this. Maybe it was a mistake to ask you along on what I should be able to handle myself." She took a breath to center herself and started looking for the tool.

He let out a frustrated sigh. "And maybe when you're facing a job like this, you need the extra hands."

HK-47 interrupted with a honking noise. "Suggestion: Maybe the two silly organics would like to retrieve the power diverter that is causing my leg motor servos a great deal of discomfort!"

They sighed and looked at each other for a moment. Again, the strange double vision took hold again. Why couldn't he focus? He licked his suddenly dry lips. "I'll hold those wires back. Give you a clear shot."

"Clear shot?"

"You can use your hands to go grab it. They're a lot smaller than mine. Failing that, you could..."

"Attention: AHEM!"

Carth shot a glance over to the droid. "Shut up, already!" He pulled the tangled mess of half-repaired circuits and wires aside as her small hand reached into the larger tangle. "It's...it's out of reach."

"Maybe you can lift it the other way? You know...um...Force powers? I'll still keep the passage open."

She sighed and he steadied her, one hand on her back. She tensed for a brief moment.

"Take it easy. It's just me," he reminded her.

With a long sigh, she started concentrating. The small tool rose out of where it had fallen, floating like a soap bubble out of the mess of wires.

"You're doing it," he whispered. "That's it. He let go the wires to snag it from mid air. "Got it."

Kairi let out a breath and reached over to get the tool. Her hand closed around his, her eyes looking into his own...Carth found it suddenly near-impossible to hold onto that image of Revan. Oh, man. There was this overwhelming wish to kiss her, to just forget everything on that ship ever happened, to finish that memory that Saul so rudely interrupted. Hell, he would get up to the cockpit, turn this boat around, and head for the middle of nowhere. Shove all this Sith against Jedi, Star Forge, Darth-whatever out an airlock.

And HK-47 picked that of all times to dash a little cold water on the situation.

"Readiness: Since I am to accompany you and Auxiliary Master on this journey, which new protocols do you wish to place?"

That snapped him back so hard that the room practically spun. He looked away, yanking his hands away from her. What was he thinking? As if to remind himself, he brushed his left thumb across the underside of his wedding band.

Kairi went back to "all business," thankfully. "HK, you are to retain your protocols regarding the protection and safety of any crew member or their guests. I know the protocol to protect me is hard-wired into your systems, but you will extend that protocol to Carth as well. You will protect him and obey his orders as if they came from me."

That was surprising! His eyebrows almost hit his hairline.

"But above all else, you will see to is the mission parameters are met. We are to go to Korriban, and obtain the final Star Map. This is only for the purpose of finding the Star Forge, nothing more. If...if we are to come into conflict, then your task is to see that the mission is carried out." She looked over to Carth, who nodded his consent.

"Analysis: You do not wish me to be used as an assassin droid?"

"This assignment is more important. Understood?"

"Complying: Protocols reset. But I find this a sad, sad waste of my talents."

"I don't really care what you think, HK," she said. Already she was sounding abrasive, and it gave Carth the creeps. There was something a little too...familiar about the resignation that came with it, too.

_What do you care, Onasi? You're both walking dead._

"So, it's done then? The droid obeys both of us?" He stopped himself as she replaced the back panel of the chassis and sealed the plates.

"Yes. Easily done, I would suppose."

That's when the exhaustion hit him. He was so very tired from all that had happened. She also looked like she could use some sleep.

"Let me walk you back to your quarters," he offered, putting a hand on her back. Was there anything of Kairi left? He hoped it wasn't just all a Jedi lie. If somehow, he could reach her, he had to try for both their sakes. "Least I can do."

They walked back to the quarters she used to share with Juhani. She hadn't slept in them for days, but he wanted so badly for the lady he missed to return. Maybe it was impossible, but for some reason, the thought of her sleeping away in her old bunk would be a certain amount of comfort.

She didn't seem inclined to object as he helped her out of the heavy, dark outer robe and she curled onto the bunk. He pulled the blankets around her, more as a way not to drop over from exhaustion next to her.

"Thank you, Carth," she said. "For more than I know how to say."

"You...you're welcome..." He tried to say her name, and couldn't figure out which to use. "What should I call you?" he asked.

"You can't use that name when running around Korriban."

He was feeling silly for asking, but ask he must. "I... know, but when we're on the ship, when we're alone, what should I call you?"

Black eyes warred with uncertainty, teetering between hope and despair. "I'm not sure yet."

"Fair enough," he said, getting up and leaving her to rest.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

_The tomb of Naga Sadow was stifling, the geothermic currents beneath creating an oppressive heat. Revan had taken off her mask as soon as she was able. Now, she sat heavily on a fallen stone and looked gloomily at the Star Map, her haunted dark eyes as weary as her too-thin body. _

_Malak, for his part, was thrilled._

_"The final map, Revan! We have found it. With this, we can take the Star Forge. With this, we are unstoppable."_

_Revan didn't respond. Malak continued his ranting._

_"Their lack of vision and hypocrisy will be paid for in blood. We shall march across the galaxy, and all shall bow to our power. Let the Jedi Council quake in their sheltered enclaves when we bring the horrors we have seen to their own eyes. Let those squabbling senators run like scared cattle when a true leader steps up to oppose them."_

_He seemed to notice that Revan wasn't joining in on his euphoria. _

_"And that is what must happen," she said simply._

_Malak was puzzled for a moment. "Do you not share the thrill? Or are you still clinging to that empty Code?" His face turned into a mocking sneer. "Did they beat all the passion out of you? Do you harbor illusions of being welcomed back into their prison, returning to them, groveling, like your 'general' tried to?"_

_She shook her head and rose, walking towards the black metal spires, her movements like a woman three times her age. "It is too late for us. We have seen too much. We have learned too much - just like the ones who came here before us. Before we started, we knew it would have to come to this."_

_She suddenly shook off the tiredness and pulled her saber. It was now a bright red, built from crystals they had scavenged from the tombs. _

_"We are now as they were," Revan said. "Cast from the Order and sent into exile. Now all that is left is to decide who shall be master, and who shall be apprentice." _

_Malak drew his, grinning._

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

"My Lord?"

Malak opened his eyes to see Bandon standing before him. The tall, broad-shouldered man was in full duelist armor, walking steadily. The Dark Lord rose from his meditation.

"Why is you bother me, Bandon?" This one was getting bold - a little too much so by Malak's standards. Hovering in the doorway was a Sith officer, who gave off waves of nervousness and fear. It was too bad he was not able to fashion this into power the way Revan had. Bandon walked behind the unlucky officer and shoved him to the forefront.

"Speak, fool."

The officer saluted shakily. Delicious fear, but useless to Malak.

"It is about the _Ebon Hawk_ and her crew, my Lord," he said. "We...we can find no trace of them. I believe the sleeper we planted aboard the ship did its job."

Malak did not say anything, but instead turned to other resources to give him his answers while he waved to Bandon to continue the questions.

"Have you told anyone of this incident, Lieutenant?"

The officer shook his head. "No, Lord Bandon. Our communications array was locked during the escape, and afterwards, we followed our orders to maintain radio silence until we arrived at the Star Forge system."

Bandon smiled wickedly. "Very good of you for following your orders. And I assume you are the ranking officer aboard?"

Another nervous nod and a failed attempt to conceal his shaking. "Yes, m'lord. With Admiral Karath and many of the senior staff dead, the _Leviathan _is under my command. Everything has been done exactly as you ordered. No one outside of the ship and this room know of Lady Revan's survival."

Bandon seemed to acknowledge this with a simple nod. "Thank you, lieutenant." He then brought one hand up in a simple gesture, and the frightened man fell backwards, clutching his throat and dropping to his knees. The last thing he saw was the sky above the temple as a small, white ball of light flashed across the sky like an aberrant star.

Bandon continued to tighten his grip until the man's throat was completely crushed, the corpse dropping to the stone floor. He glanced down the hall at two Sith acolytes who came into view.

"Dispose of that."

As the acolytes dragged the corpse away, Bandon turned to Malak. "It is done, then? The _Leviathan _destroyed and the secret maintained?"

"There is one last task for you to complete in this matter, my apprentice," Malak said. "And that is to kill the secret herself."

"She lives?"

"I still sense her presence in the Force, altered as it is. Until I had seen her face, I would not have believed them to be the same. The Jedi were clever in their deception."

"It is too bad I did not recognize her then, aboard the _Endar Spire_. We could have been rid of her quite easily then."

Malak paced a few steps away, then turned around and hit Bandon hard with a Force push, striking him with the power of ten fists. Bandon was knocked to the ground.

"That is for your lack of vigilance, Bandon. Fail me again, and you will be the one disposed of." Malak adjusted his cape. "You are to hunt her down. She will be weak. Her friends will no longer trust her now that they know the truth. She will be alone...and easy prey."

"Where shall I begin my hunt, my lord?" Bandon asked, picking himself from the floor.

"She will be headed for Korriban, into the very heart of the Sith. You will go there and wait for her. She will come soon enough. The Valley of the Dark Lords is an appropriate place to bury her, I think."

Bandon was on his feet now, and nodded grimly. "And about our captive?"

"Leave me to Bastila," Malak said. If he had means to smile, he would be. "It will be my pleasure to break that little Jedi. To punish her for her interference..."

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Alive.

Oh, what a bitter disappointment. Bastila was in a small stone room, chained up like a beast. The only light in this place was from what came in under the door.

Her clothing had been torn to shreds by the jailers, who had been inclined to amuse themselves by violating her, only to be halted by a Sith acolyte who walked in and Force-choked them both. She shuddered. There was some kind of shield that did not allow her to connect with the Force outside wherever this dreaded place was, but it certainly was enough to let her feel what was going on inside. She felt one of them perish almost instantly while the underling that managed a fair enough grovel for his life was released and fled like a rat.

The chain was starting to bite into her ankle, rubbing it raw. Already, she could see the beginnings of infection, made even worse by the layer of rust. Perhaps, if she were fortunate, the infection would kill her within days. Something told her she wasn't going to be in the ranks of the fortunate anytime soon.

The door to the cell swung open and the "interrogator" came in. He was a young soldier, probably only had five years on Mission - seven at most. He was projecting a strong combination of anger, power, and impatience.

"Morning, Jedi. Welcome to hell."

"And so glad you could join me here," she snapped back. "Now, do what you are here to do and be done with it."

"Didn't expect you'd plead for your life. They tend not to...at least at first." He had an accent Bastila tried to place. When she did, she had a weapon.

"Telosian accent? And working for the Sith? How can you even think of it after they bombed your home? Were you among those crawling in the ashes, perhaps? Maybe someone you cared for didn't -"

A savage backhand across her jaw silenced her. "You frelling Jedi don't know a damn thing. Too busy sitting on your butts in the Enclaves, quoting philosophy, while Mandalorians scorched the ground around us. Malak had the spine to go and fight, you haughty shutta. Be grateful he's at least giving you a chance."

It took Bastila a while to find her tongue again. "We had our reasons, traitor."

The metal-toed boot crashed into her stomach, knocking the wind out of her. He followed it up with a sharp kick to her side, and Bastila could feel her rib crack. It hurt to breathe, much less talk.

"First session is the neural cage, Jedi. You think you're hurting now, just wait..."

The dark sack over her face was meant to disorientate and to intimidate, the points of being spun around, kicked, and other jostling was meant to disrupt her ability to concentrate. The clinical and academic lessons ran through her head as the events unfolded.

_First, they will pass me by the blocks of prisoners already in session, let me hear their screams..._

Indeed, the next turn was down a long corridor. Bastila heard a heavy door - old fashioned and not electronic - be pulled open. Yet the lessons were nothing compared to the wave of anguish, pain, despair, and fear that plowed into her. Nothing seemed to block out the screams. She tried to pull up shields, tried to block the emotions from her mind, but...

Suddenly, a mysterious ache in her arm made a lot more sense.

"Treatment for Jedi," snarled the Telosian. "We gave you a little something to go to work on those Force shields. You're going to feel everything we want you to..."

They continued to pull her down the corridor, down towards a terrible fate.


	2. There is Only Passion

**Chapter 2**

**There is Only Passion**

* * *

They arrived at Dreshdae, the only colony on that barren rock, at the small hours of the evening. Like at Yavin, the port authority recognized the _Ebon Hawk_, and assumed they were on Exchange business. They were even directed to a discreet landing pad on the colony's edge and filed some convincing fakes for docking papers. Apparently, Davik was a stickler for making sure any paper trails hit a dead end.

The colony looked like it was thrown together in a hurry. Roads were mostly dirt paths, packed hard by foot traffic. The "better" parts of town had some patches of stresscrete paving. Most of the buildings were ramshackle slums, constructed from prefab kits or converted from other buildings. Hovering above all of them in the distance was a craggy mountain. Halfway up the side were the huge iron gates and imposing stone walls of the Academy.

There was an undercurrent of nervous activity as Carth and Kairi walked out onto its dirt and stone streets, the droids at their heels. They passed a three-story brick brothel where a myriad of women and men of several species were standing on the balconies, doing their best to advertise their "assets." The slave collars and obviously drawn expressions on the sex workers spoke volumes about the cruel treatment therein. The other building that didn't looks like it was hastily constructed was a small field office of Czerka, where the employees outside were grumbling about how much money they lost when the company pulled out of Kashyyyk.

"Good thing we didn't take Mission or Zaalbar," Carth grumbled as they passed by.

Kairi took a brief look at the brothel before shaking her head and continuing down the street.

"You gonna say anything?" he asked sharply.

"You're angry and looking for an argument. I don't want to give you one," she said, sitting down on a large rock that was off to the side of the road. She smoothed the black outer robe.

"I see how you are," he grumbled, folding his arms. "I don't want to answer your questions, and you keep at it until I crack. Two can play on that one. Besides, you're trying to pass yourself off as a fallen Jedi. What's a little trip down memory lane?"

She looked up at him. "You believe I've lied to you this entire time."

"I don't know what to believe anymore." Bitter, familiar mistrust wrapped around him like comfortable, well-worn armor. It was a little annoying not to be able to do much about it, but one thing at a time. "You tell me."

"Warning: show the Master a little respect!" HK-47 gestured with his rifle. "Query: Do you care to suspend your earlier protocol?"

"Damn it, Carth. You know better."

"Well, well, now. Looks like we have some newcomers to the colony...Let's give them a proper welcome, shall we?"

They looked up to find themselves surrounded by a half-dozen youths. Their leader was a woman with close-cropped blond hair. She wore a knee-length gray robe and leggings with polished black boots. Sensing danger, Kairi was on her feet, hand on her saber, but not drawing it yet. One of her sycophants got a good look at it and groaned.

"Another Jedi. Let's really hurt this one, Lashowe. I hate the fallen ones. They always seem to think they're better -"

"Now, now," she assured the man. "Maybe this little Jedi has a use." She grinned. "Or, maybe that fellow she's got with her is...amicable."

"Eat a blaster, sister," Carth said, hand going for his holster.

She made a slight gesture that Carth recognized - force push. The jolt threatened to knock Carth off his feet, but he was ready for it, rolling with the jolt. He got to his feet, guns out. Little Sith brats wanted a fight. Sure thing...

"You really don't want a fight," Kairi warned. "And my friend is really less...amicable than I am."

One of the female bullies snickered. "Seems this one still has that 'Jedi' set of manners."

"So she does," Lashowe said. "Anyway, since you are new, let me introduce you. I'm Lashowe, and these are my friends from the Academy. I've just made Upper Tier, and have been here for a good, long time. See, here on Korriban, we Sith can do as we please, especially to lost little Jedi."

"Warning!" HK-47's eyes went gold, a sign he was warming up his combat protocols. Kairi made a hand gesture to tell him to stand down - at least for now.

"So, you claim to run the place?" Carth said. "Heh. Lots of responsibility for simple scum like you."

"We could kill 'em. Or make 'em lose control of their bladders. Either one would be fun," said the man.

Lashowe shrugged. "We did that to the last batch of hopefuls. It's not what I'm in the mood for. Let me see... " She folded her arms in an exaggerated gesture of contemplation. "Actually, I'm in the mood for a joke. A good one. How about it, Jedi? You make me laugh, you get to live?"

Carth was about to start shooting, but if he made an unprovoked scene here, it would drastically reduce his chances of getting inside that academy and getting what he wanted. Besides, all it would take is Kairi pulling that saber, and all the blame would go to her. He wanted her to light that saber. They could take these punks.

She had that saber pulled, but not lit, making sure the punks got a good look. "I'm not here to make you laugh. Find another amusement."

One of the women in Lashowe's gang chuckled. "This one's got a bit of a spine, at least!"

Lashowe glared at her. "Are you going to sit here and take this?"

One of the men waved her off. "Oh, get over yourself, Lashowe. Plenty of other hopefuls in the colony to play with. This is more bother than it's worth."

As they filed away, Carth looked at her, dumbfounded. "You actually -"

"We need the Map, Carth. Not a fight." She reached out to try and touch him, only to reconsider it and drop her hand to her side. "Maybe we should...split up. I'll take T3 and you take HK. We'll meet back up in a couple hours and keep the comlinks on."

He heard the words, but it was like thinking through a juma binge. Why was his head still on backwards when it came to her? "Why not take your personal assassin?" he asked, trying to still focus on being angry and bitter.

"I heard at least five dialects on the last block. How many languages can you speak?" When Carth didn't have an answer, she nodded. "HK, you go with him. Remember the protocols; follow his orders like they came from me."

"Acknowledgment," HK-47 said grudgingly, clanking his way to stand behind Carth. Carth was trying to find a reason to protest. But it was too late, as she and T3-M4 vanished into the crowd.

Damn. Well, she might get to see something he couldn't, being a Force user and all. Guess the best use he had was checking out the "unofficial" scoop on the town from the cantinas and the weapons dealers. He decided on the weapon shops first. It was hard to think in this place even sober, and something told him that you couldn't be too well-armed on this planet.

"Query: Where are we going, Auxiliary Master?"

"I saw a weapons shop back a kilometer. Figured I'd have a look."

"Statement: That is acceptable. I do hope to upgrade from this blaster rifle I am carrying. I have always thought a Sith assault gun would be the best fit to my capabilities. I had one that was my favorite when I worked for - " The droid stopped himself. "Retraction: I had one that was my favorite when I worked for my original master."

"Figures," Carth grumbled. "You know anything about Korriban?"

"Statement: Dreshdae was not so large the last time I was here, Auxiliary Master. It would appear that much of the colony has been hastily built due to the upswing in activity crossing this sector. Data indicating the location of our target would most likely be kept in the halls of the Sith Academy. Unfortunately, since you are not a Force user, I would judge your chances of entering those halls slim indeed."

"My son's in there, HK. Don't tell me the odds."

On the outskirts, next to the docks, was a ramshackle little shop that might have been converted from a warehouse. A sign by the door in several languages informed customers to "park their droids" before going in. Through the window, Carth could see an impressive array of weaponry. They probably stocked ammo - maybe even some upgrades. In either case, it certainly wouldn't hurt to check. And if HK-47 got distracted by the sight of guns like a five-year-old in a toy shop, so be it.

"HK, you...you look at the shiny guns in the window for a while and keep an eye out. I'll see what's inside."

"Acknowledgment."

He pushed open the door. The shop had two entrances – one on either side of the counter, in full view of the proprietor, a portly Rodian who made a point of keeping the shop tidy. A Twi'lek woman was talking to the only other customer in the shop, a human man inspecting the inventory of energy shields. She seemed to be talking about how proud she was that her boyfriend was a student at the academy.

_Nothing to be proud of, sister._

Seeing a new customer, the Rodian greeted him._ "New face here, eh? Seems a lot of new faces this time of year. You look a little old for the Academy, so you aren't here for that..."_

"No. There's someone at the academy I want to see," Carth said, checking the shelves behind him. "What have you got for my blaster?" He took it out of the holster for the Rodian to inspect.

_"Ooooh. Nice Arkanian design you got there. Family heirloom?"_

"Yeah, as a matter of fact, it is."

_"Got just the thing. Those things can pack more powerful ammo than standard. Got some good stuff in the other day from Czerka guy. He had a baby's blaster! Good thing he didn't try shooting with the stuff. It would have blown up in his face. Big mess."_ The Rodian pulled the box from the shelf. _"That model you got, though. It'll like this stuff. I also have improved energy cell if you like."_

Carth counted the credits in his pocket. Yeah, it would be enough. "Sure. So, a lot of people come here to get into the academy?"

_"Only reason they bother,"_ the shopkeeper said. _"Once each season, Masters Uthar and Yuthura go looking for students. Lots of hopefuls, and most go home disappointed. Plenty...don't get to go home at all. You do good thing in stopping to power up your guns. Stupid kids don't know difference between 'Sith' and 'thug.'"_

_Like there is a damn bit of difference._ Seeing where he was, Carth kept his mouth shut, however.

Suddenly, the shop's door crashed open, and a young, human man walked in. He was dressed in the student grays, and a large medallion hung around his neck. Apparently, this was a novice, as he was packing a nasty-looking vibroblade instead of a lightsaber. The remaining human man dropped his purchases and fled the shop through the side door as fast as his legs could carry him. The young man's eyes darted crazily, like he was just waiting for an excuse to test out what he'd picked up at the academy. The Twi'lek woman, however, was oblivious.

"Northal!" She put his hands on his shoulders. "Sweetheart, I'm so glad to find you. I told you I'd come out here once I saved up the credits -"

He scowled at her. "So, who did you have to sleep with to get the money?"

She almost jumped a meter backwards. "Excuse me?"

He glowered. "You heard me. I bust my butt in that academy and barely hear a word from you!"

"I...I wrote every week! And you know better than that. It's hard to get any time off from the factory. I worked double shifts to save up the money, Northal, just so we could be -"

Her words died in her throat as she started to gag. Her hands went to her throat as she tried to pull in air.

"You shut your frelling mouth, shutta," he said. "Guess I shouldn't ask how many other guys you 'entertained.' Y'know, even when you were with me, you talked too damn much, Mareel."

She was trying to grab his robes and pull on them, silently pleading for her life.

He sniffed and kicked her. "And what makes you think you have any worth at all? There's no place for you at my side anymore."

Carth had brought up his blaster, and fired at the intruder, a warning shot close enough to part the punk's hair. "You let the lady go!"

The Sith grinned savagely, and kicked the woman again. Momentarily distracted, he broke his choke-hold, and left her curled up on the floor, gasping. The Rodian took the opportunity to dive in and pull her behind the counter.

"Lemme guess. You're the boyfriend?" Northal tapped his forearm. A blueish shimmer appeared over his body. Energy shield. Carth would have to deal with this the hard way. Sensing what was coming, the Rodian pulled a vibrosword from the wall and Carth snatched it.

"I'm not. I just don't watch Sith go beating up on unarmed ladies without saying my piece."

The Sith apprentice made ready to deal with the greater threat, pulling his vibroblade from the scabbard at his side. He grinned savagely at Carth before taking the first swing.

"Hmph. More like 'pieces,' old man."

Carth hadn't been the best melee fighter back on the _Spire_, preferring to use his blasters. But he had been sparring with the Jedi, mostly Kairi or Bastila, in order to get more practice with swords, seeing as how energy shields could render blasters useless. He hadn't quite realized how much he had learned. Northal's movements swung between clumsy reactions and wild attacks. Carth was able to easily block and dodge, the light armor he wore absorbing any shots that managed to land. One of the lucky shots scraped his arm, and a thin trickle of blood welled up from the wound.

Seizing an opportunity, Carth lunged and swept the attacker's legs out from under him, knocking him back into a display that fell over and crashed on top of him. Unfortunately for the punk, it was made of metal and weighted with merchandise. He wasn't getting up anytime soon. Carth put the tip of the blade to the kid's chest, giving him a chance to surrender. The Sith apprentice looked up at Carth, vile anger in his eyes, and tried to get a hand free so he could use that nasty little Force trick. Carth didn't give him a chance. Jamming his blade into the heart, the kid was dead before he could get a scream out.

"So is the fate of the foolish." There was another voice. A rich, even baritone. Carth whirled around, expecting another foe. Instead, he saw a sixty-something man with a fighter's build and the posture of a gentleman coming toward him from the back of the sore. How could he not be noticed in a place so small? Vivid purple and red tattoos in arcane patterns stood out on his shaved skull and ashen skin. He was dressed in Sith robes - but black, rather than the students' gray, an embroidered crest on his upper right shoulder.

"What do you want?" Carth asked, adrenaline and anger overriding his good sense.

The Sith "gentleman" looked him over carefully, pulling out a small square of cloth, and pressing it to Carth's arm. With the other, he picked up the blaster Carth had left on the counter and studied it, taking particularly note of the family crest on its handle before handing it back to him. "The heraldry is Telosian. I should have recognized your accent."

The hair on Carth's neck stood up as he took his blaster from the man's icy hands, holding the cloth in place until the bleeding staunched. The elder Sith walked over to the dead student and shook his head, taking the medallion from the dead boy's neck. Handing it to Carth and taking back the bloodied cloth, he remarked, "A lot of power in this one, but no wisdom. As for you, report to the academy tomorrow, and show that medallion to the guard. Once inside, I have a job to offer you."

With that, he left the shop. The shopkeeper's jaw was practically on the floor.

"What was that about?" Carth grumbled.

_"You not know? That's Master Uthar himself! Headmaster of the Academy. You wanted to see someone in the academy, you do as he says!" _

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Kairi's route was direct, heading out of the colony and directly up the precipitous climb to the Academy, located halfway up a mountain ten kilometers from Dreshdae's southern wall. The winter air, chilly with more than natural cold, made her shiver despite the exertion of climbing. The path on the stone was worn down from many years and many students marching to its iron gates.

_I go into the academy to find out where the Map is - nothing more. I do the job, and I get out. At least I know Carth will probably not hesitate should this place poison me. _

The sentry patrolling the gate sneered at her from behind his silver, faceless armor. "You have not been chosen as a student of this academy. Leave at once."

"How would I be chosen, then?" she asked.

"The Upper Tier students have been sent out into the colony to recruit for potential Sith. If they deem you worthy, they will grant you a medallion that acts as a passkey. The final decision, however, lies with Yuthura Ban. She is the apprentice to the Academy's headmaster."

"And how would I find her?"

"It is not my place to tell you. Now, leave or be killed."

Seeing she wouldn't get far with the guard, Kairi turned back around and headed for Dreshdae, finding a longer, more winding path that snaked around the western slope - one that was much less likely to cause a neck-breaking fall. It cut through a valley below, forming a maze of sheer rock wall. Formations in the cliffs may have been statues once, time and winds wearing them down until they were vague, humanoid shapes jutting out from the mountainsides.

As she walked, she was seized with a vague sense of dread, a gnawing in her gut that felt like hunger. Lowering her shields and reaching out with her perceptions, she felt the eddies of Force around her like a kath hound sniffing for prey and found where it was coming from. Racing ahead, she ran down an incline too sharp for T3-M4 to follow, the droid waiting at the top of the hill, warbling a protest she paid no heed to.

At the end of a dead-end corridor of sandstone, she saw three men standing against a wall - an Aqualish and two humans. Their clothing hung off their gaunt bodies and over distended bellies, and their lips were cracked. They stared at her with sunken eyes as she passed by them.

She approached one of the men who looked up at her and begged. "Please, don't…don't hurt me. I am…too weak from hunger and thirst."

The second human sneered at the first. "Quit begging…fool. I will be the one chosen." He coughed weakly. "And I will laugh as you collapse from exposure and Mekel's beatings."

The Aqualish seemed the best off of the three. _"Please go away. Whoever you are, please don't distract me. I…have to stand at attention."_

Their hunger pain clawed at her gut, knotting it and twisting it, making it hard to stand. Most of all, she saw red before her eyes. Were these men victims of the Sith? Condemned prisoners, maybe? She couldn't keep the restrained anger out of her voice. "Why?"

_"I'm trying to…prove my worth and get into the academy. You have to earn a medallion from one of the other Sith. Mekel is over there - "_ The Aqualish pointed to a figure looking down on them from a nearby cliff. _"And says he will give one to the one who survives longest. We've been here for…so many days. A couple have already died…"_

Kairi did not know whether to be horrified or disgusted. The Sith could devise many fiendish tests, but something like that was not their style. If these three were foolish enough to volunteer for this, then didn't they deserve their fate? However, their pain was distracting, and perhaps they already knew they'd been tricked. She pulled out her flask of fresh water, and approached the Aqualish. "He must be lying. Here, share it with the others."

_"No…I…I cannot. Mekel will kill us. The last man who accepted water, Mekel snapped his neck!" _He gestured upward, where Kairi saw a human figure silhouetted against the morning light.

Her eyes narrowed. "I see."

Marching up the hill, she found a tall young man with a well-trimmed beard and a gray uniform similar to Lashowe's and an elaborate medallion hung around his neck.

"Mekel?" she asked.

"Yes?" he drawled, looking her over. "Oh, to what do I owe the company of a fallen Jedi, hmm?"

"I'll take that medallion around your neck, seeing as you're merely toying with those three hopefuls down there."

He shrugged. "Those fools actually think that if they stand here long enough, they will earn the medallion and be accepted into the academy." He looked down at them. "Idiots, all of them. A Sith is not a bantha - all endurance and no brains. A Sith fights for his life, no matter the odds. No, I'll be keeping this little trinket after all, since these rotgrubs are so stupid they earn this fate."

She could feel the raw hunger of the dying men, and rage started to gnaw at her like a kath hound. "Your fun is over. Let them go."

"You're in no position to demand anything. I'll do as I please and if watching these fools die amuses me, that's what I'll do."

"We could always solve it with a duel," she suggested. "But you'd lose."

Mekel shrugged, his casual indifference making her bristle. "I doubt it, but let's see you try and convince them. After you fail, I can add you to the notches on my saber."

She shook her head and marched back down the hill. As disgusted as she was with the "hopefuls," she was more disgusted with Mekel.

The Aqualish looked up at her. _"Did…did he say I was worthy?"_

"He's lying to all of you," she said. "This isn't a real test and none of you are worthy of the Academy. Get out of here."

The first human stared at her in shock and promptly collapsed. Kairi ran over to him, the Aqualish hobbling behind her.

The man's breathing was shallow and raspy for a couple seconds. Kairi tried to summon healing energies, opening her empathy and trying to connect to the man. It was too late. The starved, beaten man's breath ended in a gurgle, and Kairi felt the stabbing darkness of a life ending. The Aqualish looked horrified.

_"No…Not after…"_ He looked nervously up the hill.

"Go," Kairi said.

The Aqualish somehow summoned the strength to get away, vanishing into the maze of cliffs.

The last man standing glared at her. "You…you won't trick me. You…"

"Don't you see he's lying?"

"You've ruined the others. He…he will find me worthy, not you."

She made a grab for his arm. He was getting out of here, like it or not. But, Mekel was still watching from his view on the cliff top. With a simple gesture, he snapped the man's neck from within, and without breaking his stride, walked back in the direction of the Academy.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

With her attention elsewhere and walking alone, she made for easy prey. It was, therefore, an exercise in frustration to be staring at her through macrobinoculars, too far away to strike effectively. Bandon handed them to the Dark Jedi accompanying him, one of two minions he was allowed for the mission.

This task had to be undertaken with the utmost discretion. If it were known that Revan lived still, it would split the Sith, dividing them on the verge of triumph. Bandon also knew too well, that many among the Sith did not believe Malak earned his title.

"Your plan, my Lord?"

"If she plans on entering the Academy, then let her. It will prove the perfect trap." He stood and started walking toward it.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

As she caught back up with T3-M4, she walked back into the colony. Along the longer path were the abandoned remains of prefabricated shacks and abandoned archaeological digs. It seems the Sith were interested in mining Korriban's past to increase their power. If that was the case, it wouldn't have hard to find the Star Map – those reeked of Dark Side power like latrines in high summer.

It shouldn't be too hard to find more Sith, the way they strutted around the colony and…

For the second time that day, a sudden jolt of raw terror jolted her. Danger - people were in mortal terror nearby. Her hand went to the saber as T3-M4 whooped out an alarm and started speeding down one of the narrow streets. Kairi followed. Where the street became a dead-end, a thin-faced youth in Sith student grays had three more up against a wall. A fourth. dead already. was crumpled on the muddy ground.

"No! That is the wrong answer. Again, you pathetic hopefuls can't all possibly be that stupid."

"M...Master Shaardan," said one of them. "Just let us go. We...we've learned our lesson."

He sneered at the lot of them, and Kairi felt nauseous. Bile burned the back of her throat. Her fingers curled around her saber.

Shaardan flashed a cruel smile as he raised one hand, and made a squeezing gesture with another. The one who spoke was lifted helplessly in the air, rotating like meat on a slow-roaster. At the same time, the poor lad was clutching his throat helplessly, clawing for air.

"I'm no master...yet. Though I do like your groveling. Speaking of Masters, though - say Master Uthar himself came by right now and told you to attack me, spare this one's life. Do you do it?"

"Of...of...course..." stammered the lone female. "He...he's a master, and what he says -"

Shaardan tightened his fist a little harder. The poor captive was starting to flail all the harder, eyes bulging and lips going blue.

"Another reason why you will never qualify as a Sith. Do you think we are really so interested in cowards? He asked for you to show mercy, and this is an unforgivable weakness. Your duty to the Sith would be to kill him there and show true power."

Kairi pushed out with one hand, knocking Shaardan to the ground. It also disrupted his hold on the boy, who dropped to the ground. Kairi made a brief scan. That victim was merely unconscious. The female went over to check on him while Shaardan's attention was focused on the new element in the picture.

"Quite the Sith you are, Shaardan," she said with contempt. "Attacking people who aren't able to fight back."

"Oh. A Jedi," he said dryly, trying to cover his surprise. "Fallen so far as to come here. Tell me, what would you plan on doing with these fools? They'll never make the academy, but perhaps a lesson is in order. Force lightening, maybe? Very efficient and painful. Or maybe turn their skins inside out."

Kairi did not answer, glaring at him. The mortal fear she had felt from the one he had been choking was still too fresh in her mind, as was Mekel's casual sadism. Her teeth were gritted in fury. This pathetic bully wasn't going to hurt any more innocents, and unlike Kashyyyk, ten more weren't going to be killed if she took him down.

Shaardan took her silence as an opening to continue proposing suggestions. "Maybe just humiliation, if that will appease what's left of your honor. Strip off their tunics and have them run about Dreshdae naked?"

Kairi made another sweeping gesture with her hand, throwing that fear back at Shaardan. The young Sith howled and dropped to his knees, clutching his head and whimpering. She nodded to the pair of hopefuls, who fled, leaving their unconscious friend behind.

"What...what are you doing to me?" Shaardan sounded very lost and scared.

"Giving back what you gave to them." Her voice was like still water. "This is what your captives were feeling. Not pleasant, is it?"

"No...No..." He was shaking now, a cold sweat breaking over his face. She walked up to him and yanked the medallion from his neck. It was freezing to the touch, the Dark Side energy channeled into it pulling all warmth from the air around it. It had no doubt been passed from student to student, absorbing more of their anger, fears, and aggression.

"I'm looking for Yuthura Ban. Tell me how to find her."

"Miss…Mistress Yuthura is at the Drunk Side cantina. She...she decides which hopefuls get selected."

She pulled back her hand, and stopped the flow of fear. Oh, but how she wanted to continue it. "I hope never to see you again." She looked down at the utility droid at her side. "Come on, T3."

Pulling her cloak around her, she walked off into the colony, following the droid.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Canderous faulted out the open top of the landspeeder. It hadn't taken long to gain the right attention in Dreshdae, his sleeveless top displaying his clan tattoo and sending a subtle advertisement as to his purpose here. A Sullistan fellow offered a fair price for a ride three-dozen kilometers out of Dreshdae, one Canderous took him up on. Juhani was joining him, dressed in her old "Tarisian" clothing - a practical tan jumpsuit with half-mask and hood that hid most of her feline features, save the gold eyes.

_"More Mandalorians. Don't know what brings you to Korriban, but can't refuse the credits or the salvage they sell."_ He got a good look at Juhani. Her lithe form and gold eyes were a dead giveaway. _"Your slave could be hired out to the brothel in town for a while. Exotics bring good credits."_

"She's no slave. She's family." Canderous said simply. He handed the stack of credit vouchers to the driver while Juhani unpacked their gear from the trunk. A tent, sleep rolls, and additional weapons. Juhani had initially been uncomfortable with picking up a vibroblade rather than her lightsaber, but was smart enough to value discretion. She would be attracting enough attention being non-Mandalorian. Being revealed as a Jedi would double the problems, especially since this was Korriban.

_"Fifteenth guy I drive out here,"_ drawled the Sullistan, counting his fare. _"Thanks for the credits, Mister."_

The Sullistan, satisfied that he had been paid fairly, drove off towards Dreshdae, leaving them alone. They stood on a short distance from the beginnings of a makeshift camp. Neatly-organized tents were lined up with the precision of marching armies, three pavilions were set up in the center, and there was a buzz of activity as men walked among them, or sparred with one another in the open spaces.

The guard at the gate looked Canderous over and nodded, but his gaze lingered a little longer over Juhani before waving them through and directing them where to set up their tent.

Juhani looked up at Canderous. "I think it may have been a bad idea to bring me along."

There was no mistaking the ethnicity of the men that sat here. Some wore suits of scavenged armor, others clutched their blasters. Rude jokes were told and boasts made. Juhani stiffened. Canderous huffed.

"I wouldn't worry. You and I could wipe the floor with most of them. The rest would piss themselves and run."

"The Mandalorians destroyed my kind, and now I am surrounded by them. It is...unsettling."

"Now you know how I feel, stuck on a boatload of Jedi."

"Are you...?" She struggled to form the question.

"I'm here for Jagi. That's all. You're along to make sure he doesn't pull something stupid like last time. This is the Gathering. Every five years, clans meet on some planet or another. We train, we share stories of the battles we fought. And the highlight is a contest that tests our skills against a hostile environment and one another. Much honor is given to the man who wins, of course."

They arrived at the spot, placed at the far edge of the camp. The atmosphere here could almost be called festive. Men sat around in knots, telling stories and cleaning their weapons. Some of the prostitutes from Dreshdae were making a thriving business as they made their way through the tents. Tests of strength were everywhere - from arm wrestling and mock battle to the telling of tall tales.

"Why Korriban?" Juhani asked as she positioned the first of the tent supports. Canderous picked up a hammer to strike it into the ground.

"Well, it's out in the middle of nowhere, for one. Second, Mandalorians and Sith have made alliances in the past…though they rarely come out well. Mandalore the Indomitable had met a fallen Jedi, Exar Kun's apprentice, in battle. He lost, and we were honor-bound to serve the Sith Lord. It was...a dark time for our people, but given that alliance, few would question the presence of Mandalorians on a Sith world. Anywhere else, and a Gathering would attract attention." He scowled. "I think his successor had forgotten about our time under Qel-Droma. Why else would he trust the Sith again?"

"Is Mandalore a title or a name?"

"A bit of both," Canderous answered, driving the metal into the ground. "You see, the Mando'ade started as a cluster of Taung tribes fighting for limited resources. Then there was one, the first Mandalore. His entire clan had been wiped out by a rival tribe, sparing only him. When he came of age, he swore vengeance against the tribe."

They moved onto the second support. Again, Juhani positioned it. "Sounds...familiar."

Canderous brought up the hammer and gave the support a hearty blow. A second drove it all the way in. "Ah, but here's where it gets interesting. He did lay waste to the rivals - during a wedding feast no less. Slaughtered them all for what they wrought to his clan...but there was a boy who survived. He fought Mandalore with everything he had."

"He won?"

"No, he lost. But Mandalore looked upon the lad and realized that what he had done accomplished little. Tribes wasted their best warriors against other tribes when there were greater foes than one another. He spared the life of the young man in exchange for servitude. Together, they went off to prove themselves the greatest of warriors - the ones who would unite all tribes under a single banner. When the first Mandalore perished at the hands of his enemies, the man he had trained killed those enemies, taking the name and the helmet in honor of the first."

"And the contest that they mention?"

"They're meant to test the warrior against the elements and against others, as Mandalore had been tested. The formal purpose behind it is to teach us reverence for the first Mandalore's skill and strength. Mostly, however, the Gathering's an excuse to drink, fight, boast, and catch up with old friends."

One of the pavilions was a drinking tent. Makeshift plank tables scattered around, and men sitting on large stones were tended to by a company of wenches while a well-fed Duros worked behind the bar, pouring out measured portions of ale. A fire pit in the center made the place smoky, but let off heat and light.

On a raised dais was a fancier table where five people sat. Canderous saw them and halted dead in his tracks.

"What is it?" she asked.

"The five sitting there. Those are some of the greatest warriors ever known. See that one, the man with the missing eye?" Canderous pointed to a grizzled man with a patch over his right eye, much of the rest of his face lost in a ratted mess of white hair and beard. "That's Aj Kellian. The Jedi had his camp under siege for a month. He managed to rally his forces and take them on - fifteen to one odds - to turn certain defeat into a victory."

The next one Canderous pointed to was the youngest man at the table, his face layered with scars, including a distinctive J-shaped scar that curled from temple to jaw. "That's Brax Selha - can't believe that man survived Malachor! His weapon of choice is the fighter ship. As Revan's fleet forced us back to the planet, they activated this…terrible device. I'd blow the head off the c_hakaar_ that cooked it up, after shaking his hand for being so inventive. It was an artificial gravity well that sucked our ships in like a whirlpool. It was a devastating device like none we had ever seen. Brax got closer to Malachor than any man who lived to tell the tale, tricking his foes in by the dozen."

"The third," Canderous pointed to a man the size of a tank droid, fists like small barrels. "Gar Kal'mor. Mandalore's personal weapons-master. He managed to hold off Malak himself at the boarding party. Revan was only able to get half the troops she wanted aboard the ship because of him. She broke the ranks on our end like glass, but Malak was fought to a standstill and eventually took enough losses to call it off."

The fourth was a man with a hook-like prosthetic replacing a lost left hand. He appeared to be very old - bald with several teeth missing. Still, he seemed to watch the room with the gaze of a Bespin hawk. "Taeg Mailen. His days of fighting are all but gone, but there was never a better man for tactics. He masterminded the attack that took Onderon, completely blasting Vaklu's forces with half the anticipated casualties on our end. From there, he managed to hold the city until the very end of the war. The only reason the Gods allowed him that old age is because he can see an attack even before his opponent thinks of it."

The last was most surprising to Juhani. The hair was cut short, and the face no less scarred than any other, but the last was clearly a woman! Canderous beamed. "Ah, yes. Anja Trav. Fought by Mandalore's side from the first invasion to the battle of Star's End. Only reason she didn't go to Malachor was because she lost too much blood from her injuries at Star's End to hold her weapon."

"I thought you didn't have women warriors."

"Are you kidding? Figures you and the Republic think that. We're smarter than that. If they don't have brats, they're in the armor like everyone else. If they do have children or elders, then they're guarding those. And who in the hell do you think guards the spoils of our victories?"

Juhani didn't know whether to feel anger towards them or share in her companion's enthusiasm. She knew all too well the brutality and blood-lust these people had. Yet, the part of her that was a fighter could appreciate the skill and fortitude it must have taken to accomplish such things.

_There is no emotion, there is peace. There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._

No sooner had they crossed into the room did they hear a shout.

"As I breathe! There's an Ordo about. Thought the lot of you went down at Malachor!"

"Dead clan anyway," heckled another.

As Juhani was about to sit down, a large hand yanked her back. "Slaves ain't welcome here."

"Back off," Canderous snarled. "She's with me."

A man that could have been Canderous's younger self wrapped an arm around her waist. His voice was a bit slurred. This obviously wasn't his first ale of the night. "I back off as soon as the slave runs along and fetches me something to drink. Maybe I can borrow her for a few hours?"

Juhani glanced at Canderous, who nodded approval. The offender found himself with Juhani's elbow rammed into his gut as she stamped his instep, Ducking out of his grasp, she followed up with a savage uppercut that sent him staggering back and falling over the table he had been sitting at. The rest of the crowd started laughing. The three at the table stood up and glowered down at Canderous, reaching for their weapons. Juhani went for her sword, Canderous readied his cannon.

"Hold!"

Like judging Gods appraising a mortal who had entered their court, the five chieftains were transfixed on Canderous and Juhani. Canderous grit his teeth and swore. This wasn't the fight he wanted.

It was Taeg that spoke. "Explain yourself."

In most cultures, the proper thing to do when creating a disturbance in front of one's superiors would be to apologize, perhaps even to grovel. Mandalorians were not most cultures.

"Canderous of Ordo. This fool decided to put his hands on my _vod _when she didn't want those hands placed there."

"Your partner is no Mandalorian," Anja said, pointing out the glaringly obvious. "So why bring her?"

"_Aliit ori'shya taldin_ . I marked her as battle-kin, so she's got as much right as me to be here. As you can see, she fights clean. I just have business with one of the men here. I'll see to it and be gone."

"Which man?" Brax asked sternly.

"My kinsman, Jagi. He fled a fair battle. I'm here to finish it."

Aj folded his arms, eyes and mouth set in stone from underneath the white hair. "From what I heard, it was you who abandoned the fight, fleeing with your Jedi employer."

"So, he is here."

"He is with his second, yes. He's been sequestered, as all the candidates are. The contest starts in the morning." Aj had no doubt heard an earful of Jagi's ranting, and would be disinclined to give Canderous access.

Gar cracked his oversized knuckles. "The only men that will be doing battle with him are others in the contest, and if he does prove himself, then it is you who will be executed for fleeing the battle and forfeiting your honor."

"Fine then," Canderous said. "If that is what must be done to settle this, then I ask to participate."

"With...the woman as your second?" Brax asked.

"I trust her with my life, and we have fought many battles together."

A shout from the far end. "Did I hear you right? That Cathar going to be your second?"

"Why not? She can fight!"

A voice from the crowd. "You call her _vod_? Do you really think she earns that status?"

"That position is for Mandalorians."

"Let battle solve it."

"With no clan, that's the best he's got for a woman!"

The five at the table conferred briefly with one another. Brax and Aj seemed very opposed to the idea. Taeg seemed to approve. Gar seemed amused by the idea. The tie-breaking vote was Anja's.

"Very well. We will allow you to fight and prove your honor, and that of your battle-sister, through the contest. Let combat settle it."

With judgment passed, the commotion settled down and people went back to their drinking. Canderous sank down on the bench and swore under his breath. "Well, things just became a lot more complicated than I thought they'd be."

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

The only seat in this smoky, crowded cantina was in the back, right across from the woman that she had been told to see. It was hard not for the purple-skinned Twi'lek to be noticed, her back to the wall as she lingered over a pint of the local brew. Tattoos covered her lekku and framed her face, vanishing into the ebony headmistress uniform. This had to be Yuthura Ban.

Kairi watched her for a few moments, fascinated. She was quite beautiful, though the Dark Side was starting to warp her features, some of her lilac skin taking on an ashen undertone, her hands gaunt and taking on the appearance of claws. Trying to focus on her with empathy, she found the usual bitter anger and superiority that was the usual hallmark of a Sith, but with a vast sadness underneath.

So intent she had been in studying that it caught the Sith Mistress's attention. Looking up sharply, she gestured to Kairi to approach. Not wanting to miss her chance, Kairi did as commanded.

"Like what you see, Jedi?" Yuthura taunted.

"Well, yes, actually," Kairi admitted.

Yuthura laughed. "Bold." She looked Kairi over from crown to toe and smiled. "Ah, I see. Come to strike me down, perhaps?"

She straightened at attention, and pulled the medallion from her pocket, placing it on the table. "Actually, I came to see what I can learn from you."

She chuckled and gestured to the empty seat across from her while she ordered a refill on her drink. "So you are just another hopeful after all. Obviously, you are a Jedi and have had some training. Surprising they'd let you go..."

She bowed her head. "Yes, yes it is."

"So, you're here but I want to hear it in your own words. Are you here to become a Sith?"

Feeling a little emboldened by her experience with Shaardan earlier, she told Yuthura the truth. "I have seen the Sith here, and haven't liked much of what I've seen. Why would I want to become one?"

Kairi was expecting Yuthura to become angry and offended, but the Twi'lek woman only laughed. "You have, have you? You're dealing with students, I'll bet. Ones that have a long way to go before they can truly appreciate what being a Sith means." She leaned in, her eyes lit with excitement. "We wield ultimate power. That is a truth the Jedi would hide from you. They are hidebound relics, trying to discern the Force's will like frightened old men staring at the stars. The Force serves us. Joining with up with us is a path to strength, a path to glory."

Yuthura probably had seen enough of those who had fawned over her, or told her what she wanted to hear, so Kairi decided the truth was still the best option. "I've seen hopefuls die, and seen citizens getting bullied by your students. That seems more a petty waste of time than pursuit of glory."

The waiter came by with the drink. Yuthura sampled it gingerly, and then made a small gesture over it. "When will they learn that I know how to dilute a poison if I'm looking for one?" She cleared her throat and clasped her hands around the glass. "We make no apologies for the weak. If you cannot close your fist and strike, then there is no place for you here. The people come of their own choosing. If they are merely weak, they go home with a lesson learned. If they are weak and foolish, they die. No apologies are to be made."

Kairi processed it. It made a twisted kind of sense. There were many things worse than death, after all. "So, you would not call yourselves evil, or believe you serve the Dark Side?"

"Frankly, I am shocked you even want this conversation, but I suppose if you are to join us, you will only do so once your questions are properly addressed." She took a swallow of her drink, her long fingers circling the rim of the glass.

"If I am to walk this path again, m'lady, I wish to walk it with my eyes open." The "again" slipped from her, and Kairi hoped she would be able to salvage the situation.

That got Yuthura's attention. "Again? Is your mind maladjusted in some way?" She tilted her head, as if it would reveal something otherwise hidden.

"A slip of the tongue," Kairi explained. "I tasted the Dark Side, and discovered the Jedi lied to me. So, if my place isn't there, I wish to see what has been hidden from me."

"I'm very familiar with Jedi lies," she said dryly. "And to speak of the Dark Side not in terms of power, but to learn and understand, - definitely not the stance I hear every day. What a strange puzzle you are, human. Doubtless the Jedi didn't know what in the stars to do with you." A predatory grin crossed her face. "We do."

"How so?"

"The Force serves us. The Jedi are slaves to it, letting themselves be lashed to it like a millstone. We shape it to our will. Our gift makes us stronger, so why squander it?" Yuthura finished with a long draught from her drink. "Actually, I should be glad for these questions. Too many hopefuls aren't putting the slightest bit of thought into their consideration. You amuse me, at the very least."

"So it is the place of those with power to rule over the ones who do not?" Kairi was reading Yuthura carefully. So far, she didn't seem to be hitting a wrong note.

"You're already starting to understand," Yuthura noted. She signaled the bartender to bring over another drink for Kairi. "To your question, ask yourself if the tu'kata beast leaping on his squellbug for the kill is evil, or the sarkaath beast that dominates the jungle. The strong survive, the weak perish, and life continues. This is the law of nature, of the universe - all is chaos aside from this." Her emphasis on "chaos" gave Kairi a vague sense of familiarity.

"You were -" Quick to sense a flash of anger from Yuthura, she cleared her throat. "Pardon me, you were saying that there is no such thing as evil?"

"You said it yourself, even the Jedi lie when it suits them. Even they see those without the Force's gift as weaker and in need of shepherding. Expose them for what they are and their high-minded foolishness collapses like rotten timbers before the storm."

_She has a point._ "I see that I would learn much from the Sith. About joining you?"

"Heard enough, then? I will admit I'm feeling charitable today, and you seem a good deal brighter than the usual oafs who approach. I bring you the academy, however, and survival is up to you. We are Sith, and Sith must always be on their guard. A moment's lowering of the guard invites a rival to cut your throat."

Something told Kairi this would be a perverse inversion of the Dantooine academy, and concentrated all the harder on quashing her empathy. The brutal weeks of trying to quarantine herself from her loved ones was going to pay off, she suspected.

Yuthura looked over at T3. "Bring your droid as well. Many of our students use a protocol or utility model to assist in their studies. This will do nicely."

"Very well. I'll make preparations. Where shall I meet you next?"

"At 0600, outside the southern gate of the colony."

"I will be there," Kairi said firmly, standing and offering a slight bow.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Carth already was back on the ship when she arrived, slouching in the pilot's chair, eyes closed.

She crossed the threshold of the cockpit door and sat in the co-pilot's chair. "Carth?"

He cracked open an eye. "Oh. Find a way to get into the Sith Academy yet?"

"Yes, I did. It would seem that the assistant Headmistress of the Academy does her recruiting from one of the cantinas. I'll meet her in the morning." She put her hand on his. "I'll find Dustil for you, Carth."

"Without _you_, he wouldn't be in that cesspit to start with," Carth shot back, yanking his hand away.

"Again you want an argument and I can't give one to you." Kairi sagged in the seat further. "No more than you will accept any apology I could give."

"Figures. Not a damn bit of remorse."

"Aside from dreams and visions that don't fit together, I can remember nothing from before the _Endar Spire_," she admitted. "It is as if they're all talking about some...some stranger."

"Nice to hear they wiped your conscience at the same time as your memory. The rest of us get to live with the fallout. 'Jedi justice' at its best." He gave her an accusing look. "Maybe we should head to Telos - have you breathe in the poison that used to be atmosphere, let you walk around the bombed out ruins. I'd take you to the graves to have a good look, but there weren't any. We just threw the dead in one big pile and lit off plasma charges. Disease was as bad as the bombing."

"Anyway, I found my own way in." Carth drawled, pulling the silver medallion from his pocket.

Kairi touched it and winced.

"I know," Carth said. "For some reason, it feels cold to the touch. Short of putting it on the engine vent, I don't think it heats up. Might be a property of the local metal."

"How did you get this?" Emotions flashed through her as she held it - pain, fear, rage, death. "Carth, something…happened to you in the colony. I sense death on you."

"Self defense. Sith punk attacked his girlfriend in the weapons shop. We fought, he lost." He leaned back. "Guy named Uthar, head of the Academy, saw the whole thing. He offered me a job and said to report in tomorrow."

Something sounded bad about this whole thing. If there was a resemblance - any at all - between Carth and his son, then Uthar would be fool not to capitalize on it. That, and Carth's emotions...they were always very powerful, and could be so easily twisted, as unstable as he was right now.

_Mind your own emotions, Revan,_ came a chiding thought that sounded too much like Vrook. She opened her mouth to argue, but he raised a hand to cut her off.

"Don't even think about it," he argued. "If I don't go in, neither will you."

"Carth, I don't know -"

"I'm not just there for Dustil. Someone needs to keep an eye on you. I'm not their former leader, remember? Now, I've pulled deep-cover missions like this before. I know what the stakes are."

_You haven't just pulled them "before." You're still on one. I don't know how much you've told Dodonna, but..._She cleared her throat and let the question hang in the air for a while as she decided whether or not to voice it. Finally, the need to ask outweighed her want to keep it silent. "If it were known to the Republic that I..." she stopped herself. "What would they do?"

"They'd execute you, most likely," he said. "Of course, the Senate could go on for years about who gets to pull the switch. Whoever wins that argument would get to decide the method. Telos does poison gas. Onderon might still use a firing squad."

"What purpose does executing a prisoner serve, Carth?" She closed her eyes and tried to picture it. If she somehow survived the fight with Malak, then death was what she earned. It was just the prospect of being led out like a trophy and having to see Mission or Juhani in the crowd that she dreaded.

"Aside from making sure the piece of sentient slime can't hurt anyone else ever again? It lets anyone else who even thinks of attempting something like that think twice before doing it. It gives closure to the victims."

She cracked her shields just a bit and let it process, let herself try and see it through his eyes. "Did killing Saul Karath...did that bring you closure?"

He jerked his head to look up at her and Kairi almost winced. She had never felt such hatred rolling off him. "Get out of here, Revan," he shot back.

She calmly rose from the chair and walked out of the cockpit.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Meanwhile, in his office at the academy, Uthar addressed the imposing man in black armor with a calculated indifference. Bandon was a little too much like Malak for Uthar's liking, and had even less intellect. Under Malak, the Sith were strong and brutal, but they had no concept or respect for subtlety or calculation.

"It is interesting to learn of Revan's survival, Lord Bandon. We all thought for sure that Malak's strike was true. I'm not surprised at the Jedi's reaction to it, either, though the autonomy she has been given is curious."

"Is that all you have to say about it?" Bandon paced the room like a caged kath hound. "'Curious' and 'interesting' – you are an academic, Uthar. That's why you are not sitting on the throne."

"The Sith is more than whoever takes the throne. It is a belief, an ideal, and a struggle for greatness," Uthar explained with a dismissive wave of his hand. "I prefer creating Dark Lords and shaping the future of the Sith. In that, lies my victory. May the strongest win."

Bandon said sharply. "I warn you, Uthar. You will carry out your lord's orders and see to her elimination."

_Fool. All lightsaber and no planning. Worse, these younglings that infest my academy seek to emulate your dull-witted approach. Given my preference, I'd just as soon have Lady Revan mount your head on iron pike next to Malak's._

"She has already gained entrance to the academy. I'll be testing my students against her. She may have been powerful once, but the Jedi have diluted her power and only a shell remains. The tombs or the other students will finish her, I think. That is, unless she embraces the Dark Side."

"And if she should, Uthar, should I question where your loyalties lie?"

Uthar folded his arms, staring pointedly at Bandon. "I am loyal to the Sith, Lord Bandon, and my place is this academy. That is my answer. If this hollow woman is destroyed, it is of no consequence. Malak keeps his throne."

"And if she does not?"

"You seem to place high odds on her survival. I have taught my students well. She will not succeed. If she does, however…then I will arrange for you to be the one to cut her down." Uthar smiled. "And I will do one better should that be the case. If you kill her, I will spread the word that you and not Malak, was the one to finally kill the Dark Lady. From there, I have little doubt that will grant you enough support to take the throne yourself."

He saw the smile split Bandon's face. _Typical idiot, only thinking of the simple and immediate power grab. Even if you do get the throne, you won't know how to run things unless you rely on me._

Uthar picked up the datapad Bandon brought him and made another scroll through it. "And thank you for the dossiers on her traveling companions as well. The Force serves us well in that regard. Too bad that there isn't much data to go on for some of them. There is one, however, that I was fortunate enough to find."

"And destroyed?"

"Lord Bandon, I mean no disrespect to your rank, but there is merit in knowing the right moment to strike, and preparing for that moment. No, I did not kill him outright. If you must know, one of Revan's companions is the father of one of my students. Dustil has the makings of a fine Sith, but he hasn't fully dedicated himself to the Dark Side. However, he holds a lot of anger towards his father. Between that and what Karath put in his notes...I think Commander Onasi will act nicely as our shatterpoint."

"And her other companions?"

"I will leave those, my lord, in your brutal and capable hands."


	3. Through passion, I gain strength

**Chapter 3**

**Through Passion, I gain strength**

At dawn, ten Mandalorian men and their seconds stood in their places. The eleventh stood out like a Hutt at a dance recital. He wore no helmet, and his second stood by him, gold Cathar eyes assessing the others. The chieftains addressed them.

A man in the middle glowered at this newcomer from beneath his helm. "I cannot believe you have let this _dar'Manda_ and his pet defile the contest."

Aj folded his arms. "Jagi of Ordo, your kinsman levels the same charge against you as you did him. Now, he's come here honorably. Whatever trouble you have with your kinsman, you settle as Mandalorians."

Canderous said nothing, just a cool nod Jagi's direction.

"Your task," said Gar. "Is to arrive at the waypoint we have placed on your maps. There are many paths, each with their own dangers and traps that come from Korriban itself. Long ago, Mandalorian warriors defended this planet from invasion, forcing the Republic away from this world. When their alliance with the Sith was over, they left their battle machines and traps behind them. He who emerges at the waypoint with proof of his journey will be declared the winner."

Brax peered out at the men from his ratted mess of hair and beard. "If one of your fellows or his second blocks the path or challenges you, fight him cleanly. This is as much a test of your honor as it is of your ability to survive. A dishonorable man's life, is as always, forfeit."

"To even attempt this task is a testimony to your bravery. To survive it will be a test of your strength, and to best your fellows is a test in skill and cunning." Aj's remaining eye was fixed on them.

The five chieftains stood up and saluted the eleven in armor and the twelfth in rags. "To the one who wins, we salute the victory. To those who fail, we salute your entrance into the Gods' armies."

The more foolhardy charged ahead, but the wiser ones took the opportunity to study the maps. Canderous was among the latter.

"Shortest route is where most of them will go – but the cliffs may not even be climbable at this point, especially if you're in the armor." He checked the topographical display. "A fall from that height, and you'll end up like a broken basilisk droid."

"The middle path?"

"Seems the smarter route, but slower. I'm guessing that place has mines and booby-traps enough to slow an army."

Juhani looked up. "A trap detected is a trap avoided."

"Middle path it is, then."

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Since they were "recruited" separately, it made sense for them to not be seen together as they left the _Ebon Hawk_ for the Academy. Just as Uthar said, the guard at the gate let Carth through once shown the medallion. Once inside, he was met by a Twi'lek guard who addressed him as Uthar's "new hire," though the nature of the job wasn't something the guard was briefed on.

As they walked, the Twi'lek pointed out routine maintenance chores around the grounds, and casually mentioning that the detention and dueling rooms were where careless servants ended up when they failed in their tasks.

The servant quarters were closet-sized private cells with a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. A communal fresher station was at the end of the hall. Gas lamps and old-fashioned candles provided the light during the night, and a thin window carved from the rock allowed an anemic amount of daylight to enter the room.

_"The datapad in the top drawer will have a list of tasks for you on it. Uthar is a fussy man. Very proud of his academy. He's generous with rewards for good servants, and equally generous with his wrath for bad ones," _the guard said before he left.

Carth checked his bag. Mission insisted on giving him a few of her gadgets, and he was glad no one had inspected the contents. Computer spikes, a security override mechanism, and a stealth belt were among them. Throwing his travel bag into the wardrobe, he sat on the edge of the bed. For the first time, he was starting to think that coming into this academy through the front doors was a bad idea.

_Keep your head. You're just here long enough to find Dustil and get out of this crumbling ruin. It's not like you're actually pledging loyalty to the Sith here...And this is also the best place to keep an eye on Kai...Revan._

As if to scold him, the memory of Manaan's sunset seemed to float to the surface of his mind. The details were perfectly captured - the way the brisk sea breeze felt, and the smell of the salt air. The harder he tried to push away the thoughts or bury it under his hatred, the more damn persistent it was.

Those beautiful dark eyes he could get lost in..._She burned entire worlds._

Her soft hands tracing his face as if to commit it to memory..._Those hands killed soldiers like me._

The memory of the kiss on Manaan and their aborted encounter aboard the _Hawk_ seemed to set his blood on fire all over again. With a small groan, he buried his head in his hands and tried to banish it. _She was Revan all along. She was betraying me from the start. If not for that…Sith, I wouldn't be in this forsaken place. I'd be happily retired on Telos...And me, fraternizing with the enemy. Let your guard down, and you get burned again._

"Query: Auxiliary Master, are you in need of assistance? _Please_ tell me you need someone killed."

Oh, yeah. His little "present." She insisted that he keep the droid with him, and the Twi'lek guard said that they were in need of a protocol model. So, for the time being, he was still stuck with the red-plated metal maniac.

He looked up. Time to see if the droid had any use. "Yeah, HK. Says here that Uthar's going to give you low-level access to the datafiles. Guess he wants you to process grades and work with some of the practice droids. Generic protocol duties, it looks like."

"Resignation: Protocol duties are very dull. I do them only to maintain my cover as a law-abiding droid. Still, it is part of my function, and one I can certainly handle."

"I've...I've got to know if you can do this though. I'm going to need some access to the computers, too. Dustil is somewhere in this place, and you're going to help me find him."

"Query: And what is your assignment?"

"Let's check. Maybe they want me to clean the torture room or something -" Carth stopped in mid sentence.

He scowled and read the datapad again, trying to see if he had misread it the first time around. A small shiver went up the back of his spine. Something wasn't right at all.

_Send the protocol droid to the archives, _it said. _I want you to report to my office immediately. I've tasks of a sensitive nature for you._

"Damn," he muttered.

"Query: What task have you been assigned?"

"I'm about to find out," Carth said. He pulled out his blasters and checked the clips, glad they hadn't decided to remove his weapons. Everyone here, even the servants, seemed to have a weapon on them of one sort or another - crude blades and blasters for the servants. The guards had assault guns or carbines. About half the students, including the ones who were Kairi's "classmates," were armed with lightsabers.

_An armed society is a civil one, _Saul said once. Carth wasn't counting on it.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

The little droid at her heels, Kairi slowly made her way through the main streets of town and back up the steep, direct path to the Sith academy. This time, upon seeing the medallion, guard said nothing as he waved both of them ahead.

Kairi hadn't gone far when Yuthura called out behind her. "Ah, there you are! My favorite prospect for the year."

Kairi waited for Yuthura to catch up. "Favorite prospect?"

The taller woman put her arm around Kairi's shoulders. "Absolutely. By my estimation, you have what it takes to surpass the others we've chosen for this quarter and become a Sith in full. I heard about what happened with Shaardan, by the way. You must be an empath."

"Yes," Kairi said. "Which is one of the reasons why 'there is no emotion' and 'there is no passion' became meaningless to me."

Yuthura sighed. "They might as well cut off your hands. If passion and emotion are how you perceive the Force then they served only themselves crippling you like that. Here, passion and emotion are fundamental tools."

"It no longer matters," Kairi said. "I am here."

"So you are. When I told Uthar about you, he insisted that you be placed in the Upper Tier. We have five other students who are in the running to become Sith in full this quarter, but I think you can handle the challenge they present."

They entered the main hall. The floor was made of the same volcanic stone as the walls, and the air smelled faintly of brimstone. Tapestries and friezes of Sith Masters and their deeds adorned the corridor walls. Statues honoring the greater masters, made of stone or cast in bronze, stood in niches. Kairi managed not to cringe as they passed by a Revan statue that wasn't yet complete. Carved slits in the wall let in the minimal sunlight.

Students in the lowest tier were dressed in gray tunics and trousers that somewhat resembled the Sith military uniform, the distinguishing marks were the academy crest patches on their arms and the medallion around their necks. Second-tier students were dressed in short robes or surcoats of the same ashen gray, again sporting patches on their sleeves and the prominent medallion. She could feel the toxic emotions of the place - greed, pain, ruthless competition, jealousy. Conversations halted as she walked by. All the better, she supposed.

"Mind you," Yuthura warned. "I think he only insisted upon placing you with that knot of students because he thinks to test them against a Jedi. Killing you would be considered a very impressive accomplishment. It means they'll be greedy. Come, he wishes to address the candidates in the rotunda."

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

The newly-minted initiates were gathered in a rotunda at the academy's center. One of them ran his fingers through his wavy auburn hair and straightened his uniform. Despite being here for so long, he still hadn't been able to ditch the accent or, regrettably, the surname. Well, last guy who made an issue of it wasn't around to make fun of it anymore. One good lightsaber stab would do that.

The other candidates started enter the room, but he didn't step out of the shadows yet. Let's get a good look at the ones who were competing against him. Uthar only chose a handful for serious consideration, after all. He could hardly believe he had been among those chosen, even if he did earn his points, clawing his way up.

Lashowe had a walk like a Twi'lek stripper, chin-up, chest out, flaunting the assets. She probably slept with half of the first-tier males, and a couple of girls, too. He half suspected that her entire cadre was kept together by the periodic orgy. She invited him to join up, but he wasn't about to fall for her. She wasn't his style. Besides, Selene...

The thought made him feel a knot in the gut. Gone, they said. They brought what was left of her back and burned her like trash. Expected, maybe, but it still hurt. "No sympathy for the weak," was one of the core principles here, after all. Now that he was "free," Lashowe was doubling the charms. She'd be eating his saber blade if she kept it up.

Mekel was still avidly regaling an ill-looking Kel Algwinn with a story of his latest stunt. Kel scratched his way up the ranks by practically welding his butt to the library seats, able to quote long lists of accomplishments and the historical relevance of obscure Sith Lords and their apprentices. He was, frankly, a lot brighter than anyone else in second tier and Dustil envied him that. In the Dueling Room, Kel listed off the fewest kills, but acted with a swift efficiency, as if he wasn't all that interested in that part of the curriculum and just putting in what he had to in order to advance. It didn't mean, however, that Kel was lacking in the ability to take out an opponent.

Mekel was the direct opposite. Dueling Room champ, and only mediocre in his studies. Dustil knew the guy bullied other students into providing him answers to exams, preferring that to hitting the library. He was one of the main reasons the Dueling room now had limits on how many victims you could go through in a quarter. He toyed with his prey, goading them into rage, then cutting them apart a bit at a time until they perished. Mekel looked forward to the quarterly influx of hopefuls, the fodder for his cruelest jokes. Last quarter, he had convinced five hopefuls to charge into a tu'kata nest as "test," and laughed as the beasts tore them to shreds.

Shaardan was right on their heels. Back-stabbing little jerk. Only prestige he earned was what he could steal, lie, cheat, and brown-nose his way into. Force knew why he was in Upper Tier, much less chosen to be in the running for true Sithhood.

That's when Yuthura walked in, and she was escorting someone he didn't recognize. He knew all of the chosen, didn't he? Was she one of the new instructors? No, she wasn't wearing a uniform…His eyes settled on her belt. That explained it. That woman was another one of those fallen Jedi. Just what he needed - someone who hadn't earned their way, coasting in by claiming a "fall" to the Dark Side, and sailing over all the hard work.

Lashowe sneered. "Good morning, _Jedi_. Somehow, I knew you would get here." She looked up at Yuthura. "Met this one in the colony. Not much of a fight if you ask me."

Yuthura folded her arms. "Good, because she is now competing against you."

Shaardan elbowed Lashowe in the ribs and gave her a knowing look, which only seemed to infuriate her. "Look at it this way, Lashowe. How many points do you think we'd get in prestige by presenting her severed hands to Master Uthar?"

"If I wanted advice on prestige, you're the last person I would seek advice from." She folded her arms and turned her back on him, one foot arched and ready to deliver a savage kick should Shaardan continue to test her patience.

Mekel crossed his arms. "Figures she would have a fast ticket in. Don't get comfortable or arrogant, Jedi. That lightsaber may have put you in the door, but you have to earn your way from here."

Kel shrugged off this new competition, going back to his reading. Mekel marched up and tried to snatch it out of Kel's grip. "Must you always have your nose in a datapad, Kel?"

Kel was too fast for him, pulling the datapad out of reach. "I don't waste my time torturing hopefuls. I'm prepared for the valley, Mekel. Are you?"

Mekel sniffed with contempt, looking down on the other man. "And you're forever too busy in your studies to really embrace the Dark Side and all the fun that comes with it. You'd make a fine Jedi, Kel."

"Enough!" Yuthura scolded them both.

There was an echo of footsteps and instantly, Yuthura bristled to attention. The other students followed suit. The great doors at the far end opened and in walked the Academy's headmaster - Uthar Wynn. His mottled, ashen skin, decorated with vibrant runes and ritual markings lent an appearance more ghost than man. He wore light dueling armor with the academy crest vibrantly displayed on the back.

"I see your late entry, Yuthura. What do you bring before me? A human woman...Ah, yes." He sized her up with the greedy eyes of a child in a sweet shop. "Bristling with the Force, as well...Yes, I can see why the Jedi would let this one go. Tell me your name."

"Kairi Niko," she said.

Dustil had to hand it to her - she didn't seem intimidated. Even after all these years, Uthar still put fear into him.

Uthar walked around her, inspecting her like one would assess a slave on the auction block. "Fallen Jedi tend to have a short life within these halls, Kairi. They still wish to associate the light with goodness and strength and they are unable to draw upon their darkness, though the Light has forsaken them. You, however…" He looked down on her. "Tell me, little one, what do you know of the Sith? What lies and half-true nonsense have they filled your head with?"

Kairi met the challenge. "The Sith are...powerful, Master Uthar. Mighty with the Force, and strong in number. Aside from that?" She cleared her throat. "I am always willing to learn more."

The answer seemed to please him, stepping back. "No doubt they fancied you a Consular. That is a diplomatic response, if not the core of the matter. Your open mind is very promising as well."

He stepped away from Kairi and into the center of the rotunda. "The Jedi treat the Force as a burden and curse. It is their tradition, and it's no surprise they cling to it for comfort. They do not celebrate it for the gift and pleasure it can be. Afraid of their shadows, and hiding from their passions - they haven't strength of those such as us." He looked to Lashowe. "What say you, Lashowe? Are you ready to grow in your power?"

Lashowe thrust her fist into the air. "I am very ready, Master."

Uthar grinned. "Brash and fiery. The Force serves you well indeed." He eyed Shaardan. "And you, Shaardan?"

"Oh, I'm ready, Master. Power is all there for the taking."

Uthar shook his head. "Don't let greed make a fool of you, boy. How about you, Mekel? Dare you embrace what the Dark Side can offer?"

Mekel bowed with a flourish. "I most certainly will."

"A lot of anger there. Good, lad. Make sure you can put it to proper use. Kel Algwinn? How ready are you to learn the way of the Sith?"

"I am...always ready." Kel did not take his eyes from Uthar as he executed a precision bow.

"Discipline and curiosity...keep your wits about you, however. This is no place for doubt in a Sith's heart. You'll learn - or die- soon enough. I am pleased to announce that all of you have reached Upper Tier. Out of you six, one of you will become a Sith in full."

"Six?" Lashowe looked around. "If you include this Jedi cast-off here, I only count five."

That's when the last student stepped from the shadows, lighting his saber just in case any of these jerks made trouble for him again.

"Yeah," Dustil said. "Five of us and that dead Jedi."

"You made it, Dustil. Congratulations!" That was Kel, all right. Dustil had to wonder sometimes why the guy was here. He just didn't seem to have the anger or malice it took to be a Sith.

"Well, well," Shaardan said with an unctuous smile. "While you're at it, _Dustil Onasi_, glue that hand to your forehead, you of the perpetual state of woe."

"How 'bout I use it to knock your jaw off, pretty boy?" Dustil brought up the saber and just waited for Shaardan to ask for it. "You say you want to imitate the greats of the Sith? How about Malak?"

Yuthura intervened. "Turn off that saber, Onasi."

Dustil powered it down and holstered it reluctantly.

"As Uthar has said," Yuthura said sharply. "None of you are a Sith in full just yet. Here, all life must compete to flourish. You must prove yourselves worthy. Look into the eyes of your fellow students, for they are also your competitors. Only one among you will be granted the title of a full Sith. The others will have to wait, or they will perish."

Uthar walked into the center of the room. "An act of worth grants you prestige. Gain enough points of prestige, and you will be worthy to continue. As you are all now of the upper tier, you have been granted access to the Valley of the Dark Lords and its tombs. You are expected to assist with the recovery efforts there. The tombs are dangerous, but there is no reward without risk. Bring your findings to me, should any of your efforts there bear fruit."

He gestured around the room. "The rest is for you to discover. Welcome to the Dark Side, my children, your chance for true greatness. You are now dismissed."

Uthar left the room, heading for his office. Yuthura gestured for Kairi to follow, and they vanished into the dormitory wing.

Lashowe still protested. "That Jedi _shutta_ hasn't earned her place. Why does she get to be here?"

"I don't think she's abandoned the Light Side at all," Mekel said.

Shaardan said nothing, merely eying the place she had stood with a shudder.

"Maybe Uthar wants us to fight her," Kel suggested. "After all, if we do become full Sith, we'll have to fight Jedi."

Dustil didn't say anything. He learned a long time ago that no one else could be trusted, especially with Selene gone. Let the others be distracted by the Jedi - he was going for the real prize, which was in the tombs. And with the rest of them distracted, he could get them out of the way. After all, no one took him seriously until they were eating his saber, and he wasn't above using that fact.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

The students other than her had rooms already, so Yuthura escorted her down the long corridors to a room at the far end of a hallway. The cell was a simple students' quarters. Inside the wardrobe, Kairi found the short robe and gray leggings of the second-tier uniform.

"You will find it fits perfectly," Yuthura said. "I had the liberty of having the droids scan you for measurements."

"Thank you, Mistress," Kairi said. Even if Yuthura was a Sith, that was no reason to forget one's manners. "So why am I your favorite prospect? Because I am a fallen Jedi?"

Yuthura laughed. "I've seen, and cut down, plenty of fallen Jedi. No, you're different. I can sense power in you."

Kairi didn't like how that sounded. If this Sith considered her powerful, it meant she was already getting more attention than she needed, and a Sith's attention was never good.

"Discipline and respect for one's betters also has a place among our kind, and many forget that - and make a fatal error. You do not seem as likely to make such foolish mistakes. Again, I think the only reason Uthar's put you in with that class is to see which of them successfully kills you. I think he's the one making the mistake."

Kairi was tempted to press the matter, but decided patience would give her the answers. "I will not disappoint you," she said noncommittally.

Yuthura's smile was predatory. "I know you won't. Of course, the hardest part will be eliminating the others."

Kairi shrugged off the outer robe. "What can you tell me about them?"

"Kel is bright, and very strong with the Force, but he is too trusting. He lacks the necessary ruthlessness. Lashowe? Charasmatic…" Yuthura shook her head. "Good saber stance, reasonably intelligent, and ruthless…but again, she still trusts. Use that. Mekel knows how to harness his dark emotions, and he's quite good at dueling with the lightsaber. Still, not very cunning."

Kairi found herself committing this information to memory. While raiding the tombs would grant a lot of prestige, eliminating her classmates from the competition would be a faster, and somewhat more practical, way to advance and as necessary to survive…

It shocked her when she realized she was thinking this. These were the thoughts of a Sith…of Revan.

Yuthra's lekku tapped in time with her foot as she thought. "The last one, Dustil, is Uthar's favored pick. He's not the best at anything, but he is a good balance of intellect, Force aptitude, and saber fighting. He lost his lover recently, so he will likely be distracted." Her voice dropped. "Don't underestimate the lengths he will go to in order to survive. He's left many classmates dead when they did. Dustil was brought here as a slave, and the others still think of him as such. Every point of prestige, every moment he has walked these halls, he has earned in blood and struggle."

Kairi tried not to shudder. Of course, she had seen the stark resemblance between the younger Onasi and the one she knew well. Dustil had the same auburn hair and angular jaw - even his emotional pattern and Force aura felt similar, though the younger man was marked by the desperation of a wounded predator. If possible, Dustil would be spared. However, if he proved a danger, then it would be easier to blame the dangers of the academy...

"So, I gain enough prestige to become a Sith in full, then what happens?" Kairi asked.

"Oh, I'm so sure you'll surpass them," Yuthura said. "That I'm willing to make you an offer of the once in a lifetime variety."

Kairi had a suspicion as to what it might be, and a fallen Jedi would make a better candidate for it than a student who had any residual loyalties…"I'm listening."

"Good. I do so adore someone willing to take a chance. As I said, you will no doubt surpass - or destroy - the others to become the one Uthar chooses, despite his plan to have one of his students kill you. This year, the final test will be in the tomb Naga Sadow, in the Valley of the Dark Lords."

"What's so important about the tomb?"

"The tomb is an ancient ruin on the surface. Several years ago, Revan and Malak entered that tomb. There, they discovered an artifact - called a Star Map - of great importance. The artifact itself it not important. The fact that Uthar will be alone with us is important."

_So, I will have to eliminate the others to get to the Map. _The rest was just as Kairi suspected. "Isolate Utthar and then the pair of us make our move. Pupil against master. Sounds familiar."

"As well it should. It is central to our beliefs. Uthar cannot prevail against us both. It is my obligation to replace him when I am strong enough, and after I take you as apprentice, you will have the duty to replace me one day."

It was a perfect opportunity to get the Star Map. It was also a way she could ruin this festering breeding ground of Sith and what it represented, shutting down a large part of Revan's legacy. If she had been crafted as a weapon, why not act as one? "Very well. I agree."

Yuthura sighed, and the Twi'lek's relief washed over Kairi like gentle water. "I'm so glad you see it my way."

Kairi tried not to think of that. The Twi'lek woman's piercing sadness and fault lines of bitter righteousness left small and fleeting gaps, gaps she could not exploit at the moment. "Would retrieving artifacts from the tombs be a good way to earn favor with Uthar?"

"They are the best way to earn favor with Uthar, other than eliminating you competitors." Yuthura folded her arms, but the edge of one head-tail kept tapping her shoulder in a gesture of being deep in thought. "Do you know the Code of the Sith?"

Kairi shook her head. "I'm afraid I..." she almost admitted "forgotten." "I may have heard it once. 'There is no comfort; there is suffering. There is no love; there is loss. There are no noble acts, only futile ones.'" She sighed heavily. "'There is no salvation; there is oblivion.'"

Yuthura shook her head. "No, that is not the Code. It's Revan's contribution - her litany."

"So, the words are Revan's." Kairi said.

Yuthura paced to the room's center. "It was Revan's way of explaining the futility of the Light Side. All things are born in darkness, all things end in darkness. Given this, acts of charity and mercy are fruitless things. A single candle can brighten a small room, but it cannot light the universe itself. Candles also spend themselves in this process of giving light, dying with every flicker. The Light Side is a fleeting illusion at best."

Kairi felt cold and sad. All the friendship and comfort she had given and been given from the people aboard the _Hawk_? They'd not need comfort had she not existed. They would recognize it soon enough, she supposed, just like Carth had. And the good they had done on Taris and Dantooine? Gone, dead, and destroyed - utterly futile in the end. "I...understood those words. It's why I'm here."

Was that a fleeting moment of sympathy she had sensed from Yuthura? If so, it passed too quickly to register fully. "If you know there is no refuge in Light, then you will also come to recognize the strength in Darkness." Yuthura cleared her throat.

_"Peace is a lie; there is only passion_

_Through passion, I gain strength_

_Through strength, I gain power._

_Through power, I gain victory._

_Through victory, my chains are broken._

_The Force shall free me."_

Kairi pondered the words and repeated them quietly.

Yuthura explained further. "The Force is our servant and our master, our companion and teacher. It selects the few of us to stand above those who cannot hear it."

Kairi sniffed with derision. " Just like the Jedi, more talk about how we are 'apart and above' other life."

"They only acknowledge the truth as it is forced upon them, it seems. They still think a lack of conflict betters sentient creatures. But without conflict, without struggle, how are we to better ourselves?" She paced the room as if lecturing a class full of students, and not just one person. "I told you back in the cantina how we are like the beasts of the jungle and desert. We are always on guard, always ready for the kill. And what keeps even the most rudimentary creature alive? Fear to run and anger to fight, hunger for food and mates. And a creature never takes more than it can guard." Yuthura fingered the lightsaber at her side absently when she halted. "The Jedi distance themselves from the harsh realities of nature, the very primal forces of creation. In the process, they submit to the very fear they throw their empty words against."

"Perhaps," Kairi said by way of an answer. It should have repulsed her to even be listening to such things, and if Bastila could see this...

"Passions sustain us and give us strength. Even as a Jedi, you must have known this. The Force grants you a keen empathy, and Jedi demand that you deny the very thing that fuels your strength,. You can _feel_, and you cannot stop feeling. Again, why look at this as a burden? I'll place you with Genyaa in your meditation classes. She is Zeltron. She will allow you to appreciate that talent."

"And the part about the chains being broken, what is that about?"

"The goal of any Sith is to break free of the chains and restrictions placed upon us - both the ones placed upon us and the ones we place on ourselves. Our teachings talk of what can happen if a Sith were to break free of all their restrictions - perfect power, perfect destiny. I wonder what such a being could be like," Yuthura admitted. "But I guess that you have had a long day, and you cannot afford to be late for your studies tomorrow morning. There is still much for you to understand."

Somehow, just being here felt like a betrayal, but could she really afford the ignorance of the Sith ways when Revan's legacy loomed over her like a shadow?

_There is no ignorance..._ To understand Revan, she would have to understand the Sith.

Kairi bowed slightly before the Twi'lek woman. "I will meditate upon your words." She summoned one last question, however. It was something she had to know. "What do the Sith believe of love?"

Again, Kairi felt the fault lines of bitterness and isolation that riddled Yuthra's presence. "Love," explained Yuthura. "Is most dangerous of all. It can lead to rage and fear…lust, possession." She shook her head, the lilac-colored head-tails folded behind her back. "But it also can lead to generosity, pity, compassion, and mercy - and all of those are far worse."

It was like a vibroblade in the gut or a drink of carbonite. Despite their motives, there were still too many things Sith and Jedi shared. "I…see. Thank you, Mistress."

"You are...welcome," Yuthua answered before stepping out the door.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Uthar's office and private chambers were past the dormitory wings, and Carth had to fight the urge to hunt through them, knocking on each door to see if he could find Dustil. The datapad said "immediately," and knowing the Sith, Uthar was going to be a stickler for that.

_Head down, listen carefully, play along. _While it wasn't widely known that he had been cross-trained for intelligence missions, the training still would stick. Unfortunately, his reputation as a war hero diminished his usefulness in that regard, even as it increased his skills in others. On the _Spire_, he was there to keep his eyes on the Jedi, and Dodonna wanted him to be the Republic's eyes on the _Hawk_ as well.

He came to the heavy stone door and knocked on it.

"Come in. You will find it unlocked."

Carth opened it and walked inside. Unlike the opulent quarters of the Manaan Sith master, this suite was rather sparse. The office was in a room to his right. To his left, the door was open. Carth walked in to find Uthar having lunch. Before him was a portion of roasted fowl, which he ate with fingers, stopping every so often to rinse his fingers in a dipping bowl.

"Please, have a seat."

Carth nervously sat across from Uthar. "Uh...you said you had a job for me?"

"A few tasks of a sensitive nature, yes. By killing Northal and taking the medallion, you proved yourself adequate for it."

"What kind of jobs?"

Uthar leaned back. "Since Lady Revan fell, this academy has been overrun with eager younglings. You are no youngling. In fact, you seem a bit like I was when my own master found me. I was older, and served as a soldier for Exar Kun's armies. However, the Force had other ideas, and I am here."

The hair on the back of Carth's neck stood up as the temperature seemed to drop. "So, you're interested in recruiting me."

"I'm interested in seeing what you'll do with your own potential," Uthar said. "Call it an indulgence if you must,. You lack the means to kill me, but not the will to challenge me. That alone is a rare combination. I miss debating philosophy and history. I miss the company of a fellow fighter and grown man. Perform a few tasks, debate me at dinner, learn from me and teach me in return, and you'll have your pick of compensation."

There was always a trap involved, Carth knew. It is a curse of human existence to live life facing forward, and understanding backwards. When events happen, the importance of them can't be ascertained until far later - and sometimes far too late. It is also known that once one has agreed to the Dark Side, even under coercion, that it will follow that person's soul to the end of their days.

"My pick of compensation?"

"Oh, yes. You may take anything or anyone from this academy when you are finished."

"I'm in."

Uthar's smile was positively snake-like. "Welcome to greatness."


	4. Through Strength, I Gain Power

**Chapter 4**

**Through Strength, I Gain Power**

An exhausting several days of orientation followed, and Kairi did not see any trace of Yuthura. Certainly, it was a dark mirror of her days on Dantooine – long hours of study, Force-training, exercises.

A plan was coming to her already. T3-M4's excellent slicing ability granted her access to the whole mainframe. She spent much of that night poring over writings on the tombs and profiles of her "fellow students." She could also see the files and the research they were working on.

Today, however, was a "free" day. The library would be Kairi's first stop, as that had both information on any prestige-gaining leads, and also provided opportunity to meet one of her competitors. Sure enough, she saw Kel holding a holocron, back to the wall, and deep in thought.

At the very least, his back was to the wall. However, the fact he was too engrossed in the holocron to notice her entrance was a clue. He could be distracted – fatally. If she could watch him in the Dueling room, then she could at least get more data on his weaknesses...

She shook her head. The centuries of hatred, fear, ruthless competition swirled around her. It seemed like every breath she took, she was breathing in the energy that fueled the Sith like sweet, poison gas.

_Only the mission matters. And none of my creators would weep overmuch should this place be hit by orbital bombardment. _ She found herself taking down a flimsiplast tome on the local geology as she started calculating just what kind of ships and how many it would take to destroy the academy from orbit. Kairi shook her head. No, too much knowledge would be destroyed. Dark and dangerous as it was, knowledge was to be respected.

She saw Kel pull away from the holocron and put it away. He seemed to be looking at her, debating. He walked up to her, hands behind his back. "Something I can help you find?"

"I thought 'help' wasn't in a Sith's vocabulary," she countered.

Kel shrugged. "Not most, no."

"Don't you want me dead?"

Again, Kel didn't seem bothered. "And ruin all these books? Only if you draw first."

Kairi was even more confused by him now. He didn't seem malicious, more...disinterested. Kel also had some natural strength in shielding, making it harder to get a solid lock on his Force aura, read his shatterpoints. "You make an odd Sith."

"So I hear. There's more to being a Sith than poking rancors with sticks and breaking hopefuls. It's a waste of time," he grumbled in a way that sounded oddly like Jolee. "The Sith Code's all about self-mastery anyway, if you take a second to think about it. Through passion,_ I_ gain strength. Through victory _my _chains are broken. It's about pushing yourself, overcoming your own limits – be they physical or mental."

"So that is why you are a Sith? To master yourself?"

"Yeah," Then, as if to warn her. "And we've all had to kill here, just so you know. It's part of the curriculum. Mistress Yuthura will probably take you to the dueling room during the week if you make it that long."

That was expected. Still, Kairi tried to keep looking into Kel's emotions. Despite the thick atmosphere of malice here, Kel seemed almost...calm. She could have looked deeper into the patterns, but she didn't want him knowing she was trying to read him.

_Kel's smart, and isn't a slave to dogma. He will likely see solutions others will miss. But, he's t__rusting, and a bit too friendly. He can hold his own, but he's at a big disadvantage. _

"That's not the way I have heard the Sith Code utilized. Tell me how you came to that conclusion," she said.

Kel cocked his head. "Well, how do you see it? Being some ex-Jedi, they probably go into it a lot."

Kairi feigned more interest in her book. "No, they don't. Sith ideas are considered too dangerous, and they do a great deal to keep anyone short of a Master as ignorant as possible, lest knowledge corrupt them."

"But isn't the second line in their Code about having no ignorance?" Kel seemed genuinely shocked by that. "If the Masters don't let their people learn about what they're fighting, then how can they fight it?" Kairi could practically hear the servos whirring in the man's head. "Well, explains a lot as to why they're not winning."

_Why do I get the feeling that you would have been everything my past life would have wanted for an apprentice? "_Maybe it does."

"So, what brings you here, anyway?" he asked.

"My business here is my own," Kairi said, an edge of annoyance creeping into her voice.

"Isn't everyone's?" he said, going back to his reading and cutting off further conversation.

Kairi went back to her reading. Several hours of mind-numbing translation of Old Sith later, she had the next phase of the plan.

* * *

_KOTOR1_

* * *

Lashowe was her next target.

She passed by the other woman's room just as she saw a Lower Tier student attempt sneaking out of her room, still hitching up his trousers. Kairi struggled not to roll her eyes at the sight. It reminded her unpleasantly of that Sith party on Taris. Marching up to the door, she rapped on it twice, only to get it flung open at the end of the second knock. Lashowe stood there in a chersilk robe that was barely tied shut and nothing else. To her credit, she carried her lightsaber in her left hand.

"What do you want?" she snarled.

Kairi straightened, reflecting Lashowe's annoyance like a mirror before pushing it right back out at her. "Maybe I want to challenge you to a duel."

"A duel? Fine. Run along and prepare while I gain prestige." Lashowe turned away, making to shut the door. "Idiot."

Kairi waved her hand, pushing it back with the Force and striding into the room. "I've been looking over the tomb layouts in the library. What if I told you I found an artifact that would impress Master Uthar?"

"Then, I'd say you're bluffing. Besides, I found an artifact that will impress him more than anything your dainty hands could dig up. You don't stand a chance."

Kairi could block that swipe. "Then why haven't you presented it to him?" All the while, she collected the malice and poison of this place and let her empathy focus it like energy through crystal, projecting it at Lashowe, trying to make the other woman lose her nerve.

"I…don't have it just yet, but I'll give it to him…when I'm good and ready." This was almost too easy, as natural as breathing, letting all this emotion swirl around and through her, making others feel the way she wished them to feel. And Yuthura was right about Lashowe being too open with her emotions.

"It's guarded," Kairi said, cutting through the excuses. "And it's a challenge you can't face yourself. You know it."

"So what?" Lashowe kept up the bravado, but Kairi could see it cracking like rotten ice, sense the fissures as it started to fall. "Nothing good comes without a fight. Short version of the Sith Code."

Now, then…now came the shift of emotion. Forcing away her effort to rattle Lashowe, Kairi reached out with trust, kindness…the things she would expect from a Jedi who hadn't yet fallen. "I could help you get it."

"Help me get it?" Lashowe mulled it over. "Hmmm…you make a tempting offer. But why would you offer your help? And better, what will it get me in return?"

Kairi again decided to use truth…or just enough of it…as a weapon. "Because I have no allies here. And even a temporary alliance is better than none. I'm here to _earn_ my way through here, Lashowe. Yuthura and Uthar placed me here to test you and the others, not as serious competition. That's vaguely insulting. Besides, do you want the others to gain the prestige of killing me before you do?"

"You can talk a good deal," Lashowe said, lighting her saber. Kairi did not flinch, even as the ruby blade hovered inches from her neck. "But I want something to back that up, Jedi. Tell me of a lead you have to gain prestige."

Again, Kairi told the truth. "I've been up half the night looking up what is little is written of Ajunta Pal. It would seem he was buried with his sword. _That_ would be an impressive artifact, indeed."

"Really?" Lashowe powered down her blade. "That does make sense. I heard Kel and Shaardan were reading up on Pal as well." Lashowe was very pleased with this idea, and Kairi gladly reflected back her self-satisfaction. "All right, then. The artifact I've discovered is an ancient Jedi holocron. Unfortunately, before I could take it from the cave it was in, a queen tuk'ata gobbled it. It's still inside her gut. And because it's the queen, I'll have to take down the whole pack before I have a chance at her."

"Hmmm." Kairi could see what the problem was. Tuk'ata were semi-sentient beasts bred by the Sith ancients as hunters. One alone could make a feast out of a man. An entire pack would be a challenge - even for two Force adepts.

"Lost your courage?" Lashowe taunted.

"No," she said. "There are a lot of tuk'ata on Korriban. We could end up hunting the wrong herd and gaining nothing."

"Meeting her isn't the problem. I know where the den of this one is," Lashowe said. "Allow me a few hours to get ready and meet me at the armless statue in the valley center. I'll take you from there. "

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Carth had been put to work on a few dull, but harmless tasks at the academy, introduced to the servants and other personnel. Uthar had insisted on calling him "Mr. Antilles," using the galaxy's most generic surname as something of a bad joke. When Carth asked, Uthar merely shrugged it off.

"The name you had is not important. Many who come here discard their former identities and names when they discover their true selves here."

"True selves?" Carth asked. "And what makes you so sure I haven't already?"

Uthar just laughed and said no more to him for the rest of the day.

Today was the first day that he was being summoned to the headmaster's task for his "special assignments." Carth wasn't sure what they'd entail, but he was about to find out.

Carth showed up at Uthar's quarters to find the Sith Master sitting cross-legged on a chersilk pillow, a small statue of intricate geometric design floating inches from his face. Two steps into the room, and Uthar's eyes opened, the puzzle landing in his outstretched hand. He got to his feet and greeted Carth.

"Good morning. Pleasure to see you again."

"You wanted to see me, Mr. Wynn?"

"I did, and thank you for coming promptly. You at least take this seriously." Uthar held out the puzzle in his hand. "Assembling this little toy is a simple exercise, but a relaxing one. Unfortunately, when I obtained this one, it's missing a vexxtal crystal that's supposed to sit in its center. Without it, the puzzle will not assemble correctly."

"You want me to go out and get you one?" Carth was skeptical. Uthar was sending him out to repair a toy? Something didn't sit right, but Carth swallowed his misgivings. Playing along was the only chance he would have at getting access to Dustil.

"Why, yes. I'd do it myself, but the academy's administration leaves me without time to do so. It is just a simple favor, Mr. Antilles. There's a cave with a fine formation of it several kilometers southeast of the Academy. I'd like you to obtain a sample of vexxtal and bring it back here. The crystals are smoky in color. I've put a map and the dimensions I need onto this datapad. Oh, and take your droid – he will probably be useful. Try to return by sundown; the wildlife on Korriban is more treacherous than on most planets."

"And afterward?"

Uthar smiled. "Then, we dine together, and you tell me about how you obtained it. That was part of our agreement, remember? Go now. I look forward to your success."

Carth tried to fight off the sudden feeling of cold, like the bite of metal on his leg. Taking the datapad, he turned and walked out.

He checked the datapad again. It should be simple enough. Guess it was time to find HK-47 and let the droid know that he would have some target practice.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Dak Vessar preferred archeology to intrigue, and therefore spent as little time in the Academy walls as possible, though he was technically one of the researchers under their auspices. Seeing as the Valley was crawling with either ancient traps or marauding students craving prestige, he walked away from both to focus on more recent history.

To the north of Dreshdae was the place where it was rumored that a Mandalorian base had been set up during Exar Kun's War. Of course, such things were second and third hand rumor, but it would explain why the Republic was turned away from this planet instead of blasting it to ashes as they would have done given a chance. Always better to destroy it than understand it, right? That was always the attitude he encountered before he came here.

He parked his speeder kilometers away from the actual site - no sense in destroying artifacts that might be buried in Korriban's uncharted sands. Shouldering a pack and checking his tool belt, he descended into the valley. His jaw dropped open - it was more than he dreamed! The half-collapsed base fortifications, the rusted basilisk droids and war machines, everyone was so focused on the tombs to the south that no one bothered looking at the sheer amount of salvage and history here!

His heart skipped a beat. Vague memories of seeing one of these basilisks fall from the sky caused him to shudder as he paced around it. He was only a boy when the Jedi under Revan had arrived too late, his home world and its broken survivors already raped and abandoned by the Mandalorian onslaught. He had thought, at the time, that all Jedi were like those who tended to the dying and wounded, breaking the slave camps.

He sniffed. Well, he was wrong. Those Jedi became Sith, which is why he was walking on Korriban now.

He reached out with his mind, tried to touch the rusted droid and see where it had been, what memories were recorded in its hull when he sensed a warning through the Force. This was not as much a dead, ignored place as he had thought. Through the Force, he sensed two men heading his way. Through the Force, he locked onto them, skimming the surface of their thoughts.

Mandalorians. They had cobbled-together suits of armor and guns any mercenary could buy with a good score - but there was no mistaking them for common mercs. He scrambled into a decaying bunker, hand wrapped around his lightsaber…waiting. So, those chuff-sucking bandits wanted to pillage this? Well, they had another thing coming.

He waited for their backs to turn and scrambled out of the bunker, running with unnatural celerity. They didn't even see it coming as he plunged his saber into the first one's back, and shoved the other back with a jolt from the Force. The Mandalorian rolled with it, bringing his gun up and firing that loud repeater at him. Dak hated Mandalorians more than he hated anything else, and used it as a Sith should, fueling him, making his movements swift and precise. Those repeater blots were deflected like they were nothing, sending them back to their point of origin. A Force-assisted leap and some precision strikes from his saber, and within seconds, two Mandalorians were dead.

Dak hauled away the bodies. After all, he had work to do here.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Less then a half-kilometer away, Juhani and Canderous were scrambling up a particularly nasty rock wall. Canderous, being the larger and more heavily armored of the pair, was letting Juhani scramble ahead. She reached the top well before him.

"Canderous, this place…" She reached down, offering a hand to help pull him up. He ignored it completely, hefting himself up to the top of the cliff and looking down.

"It was a base. A very large one, judging from…" He looked at the map again. "I knew my people had a base here, but I wasn't expecting it to be anywhere near this size. Thousands of Mandalorians must have been here."

"It is odd that there was no record of a Mandalorian base on Korriban. Though it would explain much as to why…" Juhani's voice trailed off.

"Go on, say it." Canderous shot her a look.

"The Republic never pursued Exar Kun's forces here," said Juhani.

"Why would they?" Canderous said bitterly. When Juhani raised an eyebrow, clearly not understanding, he explained. "Only ones interested in this foul, stinking rock are Jedi and those who are no longer Jedi. We'd have abandoned this place upon Kun's death and the new Mandalore. No honor in fighting as Kun's slaves when the man who made the deal was dead."

"For all your pride in fighting, you appear to hate Exar Kun the same way a Republic man would."

"I've had more time than I'd like to think during all this. About my own battles, and those of my people." He took out the flask at his hip and took a swallow of water. "We fought bravely, but as vassals and attack beasts - not as free men. Kun picked the battles for us. And our last war with the Republic -"

That's when they heard it - the unmistakable sound cut through the air.

She looked over her shoulder at him, then around for the source. "Blaster shot."

"Repeater, more likely. Someone ahead of us has run into trouble." Canderous readied his canon and Juhani pointed a way down the hill that was a lot less difficult than the way up. They ran as fast as they dared past wreckage and hulks, battle droids and abandoned equipment.

Suddenly, Juhani halted, stretching out an arm to hold back Canderous. The vibroblade at her side was drawn. Canderous was about to ask what in blazes had stopped her when he saw them skulking out of the hiding places in the wreckage they had passed. They'd stepped into a tuk'ata nest, and the queen was staring right at them.

"Damn," Canderous muttered.

It was about to get worse. A chorus of growling behind them confirmed that they were surrounded. Beady yellow eyes stared out from gray, mottled faces crowned with three horns. The queen lowered her head and charged them, the rest of the pack at her heels. There were seven, including the queen. The only good news when encountering tuk'ata was that their packs rarely grew bigger than ten full-grown members. As they were Sith beasts, any larger numbers would mean fighting among themselves, leading to a splintering of the pack or culling of the weaker members.

Adding the Force to her leap, Juhani sailed over the incoming wave, cutting two down from behind. The queen tried to bite through Canderous's armor, but the heavy plate held against their jaws. One shot blasted the queen's head open like a rotten gourd, blood and brain matter spattering on his armor. Another shot blasted open the rib cage of a second beast while the third still tried to gnaw through Canderous's leg armor before the Mandalorian swung his gun around like a club, bashing the creature away. It snarled and hissed, leaping for him. Juhani halted its leap in mid air, and it dropped like a stone. Canderous shot it twice, and it did not move again.

Juhani barely escaped the snapping maw of the one that closed in on her, wounding it in the neck. That only seemed to anger it, even as sickly reddish-brown blood gushed from its wound. Likewise, Canderous's shots annoyed its mate as it lowered his head and made a charge, the knife-sharp points aiming for a gut shot. Juhani hurled her sword into the tuk'ata's heart, felling it centimeters from Canderous's feet. Canderous returned the favor by riddling the last beast with holes. It skidded across the ground, leaving a trail of blood and visceral fluids two meters long before the corpse came to rest at Juhani's feet.

"Nice planet," grumbled Canderous.

After pulling the blade from the tuk'ata hide and reloading his cannon, they finished the climb down the hill and into the crumbling remains of an armory. Canderous stopped by the hulk of a basilisk, kneeling by the ground.

"The plants around here have been disturbed. Someone arrived before we did."

Juhani saw it as well. "The pattern indicates something - or someone - was dragged through here." She followed it to the remains of a bunker. "Fire and water! Canderous, over here."

The bodies of two Mandalorian men were thrown against the wall of the bunker, discarded like the broken machines around them. It wasn't so much their recent state of death that attracted the most attention. It was the style of burns across the bodies.

"Lightsaber burn," Juhani said. "It would appear a Dark Jedi has decided to hunt those traveling through this valley."

Canderous nodded grimly. "Too bad we had to leave your saber behind. If that's the case -"

Juhani stood up. "The blade I carry is an Echani design."

"Cortosis gives some defense against lightsabers, but the blades themselves can be brittle," Canderous warned. "Why do you think I choose my repeater over blades? Swords can shatter, and Gods can fail you, but a good blaster in your hand is more reliable than both."

Juhani said nothing to that.

Canderous started stripping the bodies for gear. Mandalorians were not noted for being sentimental over the dead. Practicality took greater priority. After all, the two men had already passed to the ranks of the hereafter's armies. They'd have no need of armor or weapons. Grabbing their rations, some ammo that worked for his canon, and some thorium charges, they were on their way again.

"I will say this, Juhani, this is turning out to be a lot more trouble than I expected."

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

_This is turning out to be more trouble than I expected. _

The Valley of the Dark Lords was a desolate, unforgiving place. Large sandstone cliffs and barren mountains were frosted with the slightest trace of ice or snow. Harsh winds made Kairi's outer cloak flap in the breeze as she pulled it around her. Even the pathways down were almost impossible without using the Force to guide one's leaps from ledge to ledge. Hewn from the very sides of the cliffs were the massive tombs, ornamented with pillars covered in runic carvings and massive stone statues that stood silent guard.

Kairi finally found Lashowe by one of these clusters of rune-covered pillars, kneeling. Her mouth moved and unnatural, guttural sounds emerged from it. When Kairi approached, she leaped to her feet, annoyed and impatient.

"There you are! I was beginning to think you had welched on the deal. Any longer, and I would have left."

"I'm not familiar with the Valley," Kairi admitted. "The map was somewhat out of date."

It seemed to pacify her. "Yeah, that map is nearly useless. It's like this place shifts constantly, though no one can prove it." Lashowe changed the subject. "I've been summoning the queen tuk'ata in her own language. She should be…"

The women turned around to see they had emerged from their hiding place in the cliffs' many hidden caves and fissures. It was a large pack, too - numbering a dozen. The queen, a gnarled creature with bloodstained horns, was gnawing on a human arm covered in gray fabric and sporting an academy crest.

Kairi and Lashowe spared a glance at each other and the fight was on!

Lashowe started by pushing the pack backward with a jolt of Force energy. Kairi sliced through them, the saberstaff burning flesh. Vaulting onto the back of one, she rode it like a hoverboard, stabbing down at the jaws attempting to reach her. Lashowe, whether out of wanting to help, or the craving for a better fight, charged while they were distracted. With another Force-fueled vault, Kairi sprung onto a ledge and seized an opportunity. A pile of rocks and dirt directly above the herd and its cave was supported by little but loosely packed earth and a single slab of sandstone that jutted out at an odd angle.

Kairi concentrated on it, pulling the slab free. It stood a chance of burying Lashowe with the tuk'ata, but it was a chance she had to take. "Lashowe!" she shouted just as the slab snapped loose and the avalanche of dirt and stone collapsed in a sudden, noisy crash down below. The blonde Sith just barely got out of the way, but so did the queen tuk'ata. The rest of the pack was crushed.

A turn, a spin, and a jump from Lashowe. She moved almost like a dancer, her lightsaber moving like it was almost alive. The Queen tried a last shot - leaping for Lashowe's throat. Following through with her spin, Lashowe's blade went clean through the neck, dropping the creature. Kairi leapt down from the cliffs just as Lashowe was gutting the remains. She powered down her lightsaber and reached in, pulling out the holocron.

"Ha!" She let out a whoop of joy. "Wonderful! The beast is dead" She smiled at Kairi, but Kairi could sense nothing friendly behind it. "We work together than I would have hoped."

Wiping the viscera from its surface with the edge of her surcoat, Lashowe looked at it curiously. "Such a small thing to be so valuable and so much work to obtain. I'll just run along and show this to Uthar. I'll tell him of your contribution, naturally."

Kairi still had not powered down the saberstaff, the wine-colored blades still at the ready. "We take it back together, Lashowe, or not at all."

"After you nearly bury me here? I don't think so! Besides, I killed the queen."

Kairi still did not budge. "And you could have fought that nest by yourself? I sense your deception, despite the walls you throw up. I am not most Jedi - not even fallen Jedi. I see behind masks, Lashowe. They read only surface emotion and will not read deeper. I can…and will."

Lashowe looked very unnerved by that, and Kairi was ready. If Lashowe was going to take it back with her, and without a fight, it would be the best scenario. Something told Kairi, though, that this would not be the case. "Forget it. I'm not waiting up for you. That wasn't -"

"The plan has changed." Kairi found herself with the saberstaff at aggressive neutral, cold determination surrounding and blowing through her like Korriban's icy winds. Now, she got a taste of what she must have been like as Revan - risking lives for victory, piercing the conceits of her foes, the goal all that mattered. "Together, Lashowe, or not at all."

And that's when the blonde Sith made a fatal mistake. She powered on the lightsaber and made a swing for Kairi. Kairi blocked it, and went in for a counterattack, but a second saber with the same kind of reddish-orange blade flew end-over-end through the air and caught Lashowe right in the back. With a strangled cry, she collapsed, dead, at Kairi's feet.

And that's when her killer walked out from a rock outcropping, summoning the saber back to his hand. Dustil was glacially calm as he held the lightsaber. That's how he had been able to evade Kairi's perceptions. Apparently, he had a lot of practice at becoming invisible whenever he liked. The daylight did not help matters. Now that she had a better look, she noticed his build was slighter, and the shape of the face a bit less angular, but the rest looked unnervingly familiar.

Dustil closed the gap between then with a Force jump, and Kairi had to be quick in raising her own saber to block it. She countered, hoping to score a wound on his leg, but he evaded it, leaping backwards with the same ability he used to close the gap, landing on a ledge. Kairi followed suit, but vaulted to a ledge three meters away, hurling her own saber towards him. He jumped back down as Kairi summoned the saber back to her hand.

It was a maddening chase. Up the cliffs, down the cliffs - leaping from ledge to ledge. She could see why Yuthura had labeled him as Uthar's favorite. Dustil had the makings of an assassin - all stealth and shock. He was also pretty good with the lightsaber, she had to admit. A couple of his shots would have fallen a lesser opponent. She shrugged off his attempt to slow her movements, and countered with a shove designed to get him falling off the cliff. He was shoved off the ledge, but controlled his fall. Before Dustil could get to his feet, she knocked the saber from his hand where it fell two meters away and powered off. One of the wine-colored blades at his throat, she glared at him.

"What can you offer me for your life?" Kairi asked. She sensed fear in Dustil, but it was only a small amount compared to the resignation and disgust.

"Go rot, Jedi." Defiant and angry, he still wouldn't give her the benefit of surrender.

Kairi held her staff with one hand and summoned Dustil's lightsaber with the other. "Tell me what you were doing out here."

He seemed to be considering either telling her off or telling the truth. Wisely, he chose the latter. "Looking…looking for answers."

Kairi powered down the blades, holstering Dustil's and keeping her own ready. She allowed him to get up. "Answers to what?"

"Like I should tell you," he spat at her, pulling himself up. "What are _you _offering?"

"An alliance," she said simply. "As you've noticed, I've just arrived. And I know Uthar only placed me in your group so that the others would try to kill me…" She nodded to Lashowe's corpse. Digging into his emotions, she followed the fear he was trying to hide and found her weapon. "And I'm not the only one they would be so eager to kill. You had to learn your ability to hide and strike from the shadows for a reason, didn't you, Dustil?"

He scowled. "I've worked on it, yeah."

Kairi couldn't help a bit of a twisted smile. "Your family name's Onasi, is it not?"

"Yeah," he said bitterly. "Figures. Everyone hears it. Son of the guy too stupid to join Admiral Karath, the big _Republic _war hero." The words were acid, and he practically spat them. "The guy I wish got blown to bits on a ship somewhere…"

It made Kairi ill to hear Dustil speak of Carth that way, but appearances had to be maintained. And if she could convince him of an alliance, she had a chance of getting him out of this place. Even a temporary alliance would make sure she wouldn't have to kill him. "Well, then, it would seem we're both targets for your fellow students. Can you think of a better reason for an alliance? We raid the tombs, pass the others, and share in the credit. I may even help you find those answers. After that, we may discard the alliance."

"Since I can't live down the name, any more than you can live down being a Jedi..." He smiled coldly. "Why not?"

She nodded. "Agreed, then. What answers are you looking for?"

"The Valley of the Dark Lords has a lot of temples. A...friend of mine was killed exploring them. I never got a straight answer on how she died, just the notes on the tombs she was planning to hit. I think she was killed - and one of my 'fellow students' did it."

Now, this was a surprise. She could see the cracks in his armor, of course, but she hadn't expected the sour-sharp taste of grief or the gray-green loneliness. Dustil was grieving a very specific type of "friend." "I though Sith didn't -"

"Lose the attitude, Jedi! I...I cared for her, okay?"

Oh, damn. She knew that look, and it was far, far too much like the one she so often saw on his father's face. That made it harder for her to squelch the pang of sympathy.

"I'm not mocking what you felt for her, just remembering something I heard from Yuthura."

Dustil scowled. "We've all got our weakness. Maybe she was mine. I find the killer, I put him down, and I won't have any weaknesses after that."

_So you tell yourself. You are far too much like your father – even in the Force, you read much like him. _ "Very well. We return to the academy. I take credit for the holocron, and you can take credit for killing Lashowe. After that, we investigate leads, both to advance our rank and to find out who killed your friend."

"I'm in," Dustil said.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Carth had set out in early morning to go on Uthar's little fetch quest, armed with the usual supplies – his blasters, a ration bar, a glowrod with the means to strap it to himself, and a laser torch for cutting the crystals when they were found. But come late afternoon, he was still no closer to finding the cave than he was when he left the academy. And as affable as Uthar tried to present himself, he knew Sith had a thing for deadlines, emphasis on "dead."

"Statement: I believe that map is not accurate or is out of date. The Valley of the Dark Lords has an unpredictable aspect to it, making it difficult to map the area with any degree of certainly."

Carth sat on a stone and looked at the datapad again. "Even so, I'm not going back empty-handed."

If a droid could have trolled its eyes in frustration, HK-47 probably would have done so. "Query: Auxiliary Master, is it not obvious that you have been set up on a 'wild tach chase?' Had Master Kairi-Revan had not explicitly ordered that I follow your commands, I would have shot you already."

"Oh, shut up, you tin can. Let me think."

An impatient growl from HK-47 conveyed the droid's annoyance, but he did obey and go to a combat readiness position, looking for something to shoot. Carth was just glad for a moment's quiet.

He looked at the map. Maybe the orientation was wrong? He turned it ninety degrees, but it made no more sense than before. The map wasn't going to help. He put the useless datapad to the side, groaned, and leaned back. One way or another, he was going to find this. He just had to think.

The pounding in his head and his feet, the fatigue from walking and climbing all day, and the chance to finally sit caught up with him and it was like being in that point between sleep and wakefulness. The air around him was free of industrial pollutants, but something thick and rank about it seeped into his lungs anyway. It didn't matter. Only the cave and his goal mattered.

In his mind, the map's cartography wavered into view, incomplete and as intermittent as a bad holotransmitter. He could see that damn cave. He knew it was around here – it had to be. The more he focused in on it, the clearer the image became until...His eyes snapped open and he grabbed the datapad. Why the hell hadn't he seen it before? The path was right in front of his nose!

"C'mon, HK. I figured out where it is. I just needed a little time to think about it. Let's go."

Sure enough, a cave entrance turned out to be exactly where his gut feeling told him it would be; many meters below where they were standing, half-hidden in a crevasse. Strapping a glowrod to his forearm so that his hands remained free, Carth wedged himself between the boulders. The sudden movement and light startled a colony of nesting bats, who shrieked and flew around in a panic, causing him to reflectively duck. Of course, HK-47 decided to use his blaster rifle and the chance for many small targets as an open invitation to start shooting.

"Damn it!" Carth pulled his blasters and shot into the air, the bats scattering. At least one dive-bombed him and he swatted it away, catching it on the back of his glove. By the time the bats scattered or died, he was scratched across his scalp, sporting several shallow wounds.

"HK? Any damage?"

"Diagnostic: Negative. The Korriban bats are mostly harmless – their claws did not even inflict superficial damage to my chassis. My design is much better than that!"

"I get the point." Carth said, hitting the glowrod to crank up the illumination setting. "You have any scanners that can detect crystals?"

"Qualification: My function is combat, not geology. However, I am getting readings of a crystalline lattice right below us."

"Right below -" Carth looked down. Sure enough, a formation of dark crystals, pulsing with a dim purple light, were below. These matched the description of vexxtal crystals put on his datapad.

"Well, I'll be. That gut feeling turns out right again. Watch my six, I'm heading down there."

HK-47 was more than glad to leave Carth to shimmy down the thin network of handholds and ledges needed to descend to the crystal formation eight-point-five-three meters below. While Carth was busy climbing and mercifully silent, a brief calculation ran through his processor. This was far from the first time meat-bag designation "Carth" (who he tolerated only because Mistress Kairi-Revan gave him direct orders to do so) had one of those "gut feelings." They seemed to occur with remarkable frequency, and his annoying, paranoid ranting had, indeed, proven correct with the revelation about Revan's mindwipe and designation change. Furthermore, Carth's linguistic pattern also indicated an accent unique to the Kwymar Sector, most likely the Thani region of Telos IV. There was also the matter of offspring, meat-bag designation "Dustil," being listed as a student in Upper Tier as a Sith acolyte of well-rounded skill.

It was too bad he was not equipped with the proper scanners to confirm the hypothesis, but the infuriating order his mistress gave him made a degree of sense if that were the case. Revan had plans for everyone, and the designation change did not seem to change that, though it did appear to shift the focus and nature of the plans in ways HK-47 was unable to process.

Carth jumped from the last ledge to the cavern floor and walked to the crystal formation. It was pretty, certainly. The crystals and their ethereal glow like nothing he had ever seen. Still, he didn't have the time to look at them, no matter how lovely. Holstering his blasters, he readied the cutting torch and -

A hideous shriek cut through the air as some _thing _emerged from a cave entrance. Carth was normally good with descriptions, but there weren't any words in Basic to adequately describe what he was seeing. It was the size of an alpha kath hound misshapen, eyeless, with thick hide and thick nostrils, breathing deep and bellowing with anger at the interloper on its territory.

"HK, shoot it!"

The droid never turned down an opportunity to use weaponry, so it opened fire. It shrugged off the blaster shot, the rifle having no more effect than an insect sting.

Carth's heart raced in panic as he looked for an escape route and found none. His only weapon was the cutting torch – his blasters would be useless. The torch itself was like a dagger-sized energy blade, no more range then a shock stick. He dodged an incoming swipe, and reflectively lashed out with the torch. It scored the creature across the foreleg, slicing open the thick skin, drawing black blood.

He saw the incoming swat and rolled with the glancing blow, but the wind was nearly knocked out of him. Getting back to his feet, it was like time slowed. Among the fear was anger; this _thing_ was coming between him and getting his son back! He wasn't going to die here or come back empty handed. Like focusing tibanna gas through a blaster chamber, he let his anger focus him, his mind only on the goal, and only on this _thing_ needing to be out of the way to get there.

The creature's attacks were slower, more predictable. The torch in his hand scored another hit on the creature's hindquarters. The creature shredded the armor plate across Carth's back, revealing the underlay. They dueled like this for several seconds before it managed a lucky shot with its tail and knocked Carth to the ground, the still-lit torch landing just out of reach. Pouncing, it tried to sieze Carth's throat, but Carth pushed its jaws up with one forearm and grasped for the torch with the other.

"No...you...don't!" Finally getting his hands around the torch, he struck so fast that he barely realized he did it – the cutting blade jammed in the soft underside of the monster's jaw, stabbing through the palate and into its brain.

Death was swift, the concerted attack replaced with involuntary death spasms. Carth pulled the torch and stabbed it again in the throat. The beast finally collapsed, and he pushed it off, using swear words in every language he knew.

"Analysis: Auxiliary Master, you have a wonderful grasp of Mandalorian invective, but your accent is horrible."

"Learned half of them in the war and the other half from Canderous." During the battle, several shards of the crystal had broken loose. Carth scooped the vexxtals up and put them in his belt pouch in addition to cutting a few from the formation. "Now let's get out of here before any of that thing's relations show up."

The return trip was, thankfully, uneventful. The first thing Carth did was head to the infirmary to get checked out, making sure whatever he encountered wasn't poisonous, and at least covering the nastier scratched with a kolto wrap to make sure they would fade by morning. His dented armor was sent to be repaired, courtesy of the headmaster, while a simple tunic and pants were presented for him to change into – also courtesy of the headmaster, with the implicit order he was not to leave the infirmary in soiled clothing. HK-47, in the meantime, was sent off to maintain the dueling room records. At least it involved killing, so the droid might get some of its twisted amusement out of it.

As Carth was making ready to leave the infirmary, Uthar himself was waiting just outside the door.

"Ah, yes. Mr. Antilles. I heard your hunt was successful?"

"It was." Carth pulled out the largest shard from his belt pouch. "Just as you asked."

"Quite the good show – and killing a mature cave beast with a laser torch, a story backed up by your droid. Very inventive. Students usually have to resort to lightsabers in order to pierce their hides, which is why they evolved energy resistance."

They walked in the direction of Uthar's chambers. Opening it, the Twi'lek servant was already setting out plates of spiced nerf, root vegetables, and black, thick-crusted bread.

"So task one down. Now what?"

"Now, we eat, and we talk, which was also part of the bargain."

Carth had to admit – this was some of the best cooking he had ever been treated to. Still, Uthar wasn't what he thought Sith were all about. He was best described as a very polite predator. All the while, Carth wondered what game Uthar was really driving at. As they ate, Uthar asked benign questions about current events, and Carth did his best to answer the questions as neutrally as he could. Uthar asked about Carth's time in the cave – how he found it, how he fought the beast. Carth tried to embellish it as little as possible, but Uthar kept asking questions like a five-year-old asking for a bedtime story.

"Of course, I was angry!" Carth said. "That thing was between me and what I wanted! It wasn't going to chase me off."

"It's good to know I'm dealing with a man is all. Now, you said it was like time slowed for you."

"You were a soldier, Uthar. You mentioned you fought for Exar Kun back in the day. Well, you know how it goes when the adrenaline's going and your life's on the line. Time goes by in slow-motion, and the need to take down your opponent pushes away anything else."

"I've missed it. I have to partake vicariously these days, I'm afraid. So, you had a hunch which proved correct, you and your droid entered the cave, you were trapped with the creature. You were afraid and angry, and you drew upon your background as a soldier, armed only with a small laser torch."

"Yeah. It had me pinned, but with time going by so slow, I saw the opening under the jaw and took it. It went through the hide like it was nothing – right through the skull. The thing shuddered and died. I pushed it off, got your crystals, end of story."

Finally, Uthar went for an open question. "Tell me, Mr. Antilles, if you are not with Czerka or planning to join the Sith ranks, what brought you to Korriban?"

"I was just passing through. Before now, I tried to stay out of Sith business and hoped they'd stay out of mine."

"Oh? I would have thought you were a mercenary of some kind, especially as another crewman from your vessel was seen leaving Dreshdae. Mandalorian, from the looks of him."

"Oh," Carth said. "Yeah. We work together. Doesn't mean...uh..doesn't mean we're friends or anything. But there's a war on, and a guy's gotta eat."

"There's been a fair amount of them seen in the sector, but they aren't staying in Dreshdae. I've never liked them. Simple brutes with heavy weaponry and the Force sensitivity of a stone. They're good at leveling a planet, I suppose, but nothing else."

Carth shrugged. "I keep hearing talk about the Force, but it's past the understanding of someone like me. The galaxy needs guys with blasters still."

"You underestimate yourself. Too much time spent in the Republic, I'll bet. They place a high value on herd management, which is one of the reasons they have greater numbers and still can't fight a war efficiently."

Carth's pride felt a little sting at that, but he quickly tamped down the urge to argue. "What do you mean?"

"The Force is part of everything, even the weak. But it's the strong who can actually put it to use. A tu'kata needs the lesser beasts to feed on. Poison all the vermin that make up its usual diet, and it will starve, but allow the vermin to proliferate, and the tu'kata are weakened by not having to keep hunting, allowing their bodies to become fat and their claws to go dull. The galaxy is never short of the weak, but it is useful to remind ourselves that they have their place, if only to serve or sustain us."

"So there's more to it than 'backstab your boss, take charge, and fend off the assassination attempts as long as you can?'"

"That's a bastardization of our philosophy that seems more prevalent in _some_ administrations than others. It's true that we gather strength and power, we learn from those around us, and we advance by destroying those who are no longer of use. My master still lives, but his mind is gone. Victory to a Sith means an unequivocal demonstration that you have superior power. Killing your enemy is the most common method of neutralizing any future threat, but not the only one. It is a Sith's responsibility to strike only when their master is of no further use. An apprentice who strikes too soon is just as useless as one who wastes the Sith's strength waiting for her master to die naturally. The fact the Jedi do not replace their senile masters is part of the reason their philosophy and outlook ossifies while we are constantly changing and adapting."

Carth knew he was courting trouble, but curiosity got the better of him. "What is the Force? I hear a lot of talk about it, but nothing on what it is."

Uthar pushed away from the table. "That, Mr. Antilles, is a very good place to start. Sith, Jedi, and a dozen other philosophies have attempted to answer that, and there is no definitive answer. To a Sith, the Force is tool and teacher. It empowers the few with greatness if they heed its call. It sets the place of beings – high or low. But..." He stood. "Hand me one of those shards you obtained from the formation."

Carth reached in his belt pouch and gave Uthar one of the crystals. He hadn't noticed it in the cave, but the vexxtal crystals were cold to the touch, and his arm tingled as he grasped it. Carth handed it over.

Uthar then took what looked to be an abstract sculpture from the shelf. Think of the Force as dark matter or photons – very basic elements. On its own, it is like this object I have in my hand – disconnected and useless – but find something or someone capable of focusing that energy, like this crystal..." He put the crystal in the center of the puzzle, turning it around in his hand. "Ah, yes. It fits nicely. Since you were the one who obtained the crystal necessary to the last piece, I think it's appropriate that you take the first try in solving it. Sit down on that cushion over there – cross-legged works best."

Carth was nervous, feeling a chill across his back. No matter how genial Uthar's behavior, he was still dealing with a Sith master, one who could crush him with a flick of his wrist. Still, until he had an opening, he would play along. What was it he kept hearing from the girls when they were training in the cargo hold? _Deep breath, listen for the ambient sounds, allow your thoughts to flow into nothing?_

He didn't admit to any of them that he occasionally gave it a shot, if only to figure out what they were up to. It beat Telos flashbacks.

He was jolted out of concentration when a silk scarf was tied around his eyes. "Hey!"

Uthar chuckled and pressed the puzzle into Carth's hand. "Worried I'll stab you? No, Mr. Antilles, if I wanted to kill you, you'll be facing me and armed. Only sporting. No, the puzzle is meant to be assembled blindfolded. Little different from field-stripping your blasters or armor in the dark."

Carth mentally shrugged. His gut feeling told him Uthar wasn't going to up and kill him – and this was just putting together a toy. With a mental shrug, he began twisting and turning the pieces over in his hand. It was oddly soothing, the nervousness of his situation being acknowledged, but passing like a cloud over a sun.

"Concentrate on it. There is only the challenge, only you. Remember the clarity you had in the cave when the rest of your concerns paled."

The pieces were stiff at first, barely moving, taking considerable effort to turn and twist. As he began working with it, and his fears and concerns became more distant, the puzzle became easier, the wood parts sliding across his fingers with ease. After a long time, the final piece slid into place.

"Ah, very nice. It would appear you have a talent for this after all." Uthar removed the blindfold. The puzzle had assembled itself into a square shape of ebony wood, the crystal sitting perfectly centered in the lattice of wooden parts, still glowing like a UV light. "Good job with it. Not everyone can assemble this on the first try."

"It...it felt strange. It...uh...At first, nothing seemed to move, but after a while it was like the thing was assembling itself."

Uthar shrugged. With a slight wave of his finger, the puzzle floated to a shelf above his writing desk. "Not all challenges are threats to one's life or that of another, but that doesn't make them less valuable."

"That doesn't sound...Well, I haven't run across a lot of Sith prior to you." _Not ones I wasn't trying to distract with blaster shot while Bastila or Kairi had their sabers lit, anyway. _

"We aren't animals of pure rage, fear, or destruction. Those who rely only on those die quickly, as you saw in the shop. The great ones, such as Ajunta Pal, Freedon Nadd, or Lady Revan know that their passions are tools, and you would not use a hammer when a servodriver is called for."

Carth hoped he masked the jolt that passed down his spine at the last one, but somehow doubted it. "Did you...know Revan?"

"Why yes, my good man! If she was in the sector, she would stay at the academy, and we would spend many hours discussing philosophy and fine books over supper. Since her death, I've greatly missed _adult_ conversation."

That cemented Carth's idea that Uthar was just as eccentric as Jolee, but much more dangerous. For all his protesting about the Order, Jolee still had Jedi ideals. "What was she like? Revan?"

"Bookish, terribly smart. Probably would have made a formidable Senator if the Force had not gifted her. Never flamboyant, always steady - never a wasted word. She had a physical presence that seemed to end arguments when she walked into the room . Malak is brash and talks too much, but that is merely my opinion."

"Sounds like..." He shook his head, realizing he had said too much already.

"Revan is a topic that can wait for another day. In the meantime, you are dismissed. Return tomorrow, and I'll have another task for you. Oh, and you may keep the second shard of crystal you carry in your pocket. You've earned it."

Carth tried to lock down the shaky moment of panic as he left the room.


	5. Through Power, I Gain Victory

**Chapter 5**

**Through Power, I Gain Victory**

* * *

The terrain was proving even more difficult than expected. A twisting patch of canyon narrowed to a point that was nearly impassible. Canderous looked at the imposing cliff before him, checking it over for handholds.

"It's going to take me longer to climb that than it will you, and more climbing gear, too. If you can go on ahead, I'll meet you at the rendezvous point. That way, you can scout ahead a little more as well."

She raised an eyebrow. "You would trust me not to run off?" It wasn't very serious, Canderous knew. Still, he was a fool if he knew she was completely comfortable around him.

He sniffed. "You're braver than that. And we're away from the ship, why pass up the chance to stab me in my sleep or something?" Not like she would – too much a Jedi to take him up on it, and too much of a warrior not to want a fair fight if it ever came to blows between them – not that she could admit the latter as it violated the Jedi notion of honor.

"The rendezvous point. I will meet you there. And if I am not there, track me by the beacon."

"Juhani..." He could not believe he was stooping to this, but she was _vod a_nd maybe he was getting soft. "Be careful"

She nodded, and began scaling the cliff, making use of the Force and Cathar climbing abilities to reach ledges and footholds he could not. He took a step back and pulled out the grappling hook and rope he had taken from the dead candidates earlier.

Tonight, he figured. Tonight, he would tell her about the Wars, Cathar, Althir...Maybe it would earn him a blade in the ribs. Maybe she would have something to meditate over other than dull Jedi dogma. Still, she more than earned the right to hear it, if she was willing to listen.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Juhani had scaled the cliff quickly enough, checking the datapad another time for the best route, and taking a look back to verify Canderous was still climbing, making slow progress with his hook and rope.

As much as she hated to admit it, she could tolerate _this_ Mandalorian. His people she still thought of primarily as brutes and savages, interested in nothing but warfare. Was Canderous an exception? He would not think of himself as such, but the evidence seemed to point otherwise.

No question; he was dangerous. He had burned and destroyed, waged war and did not apologize. He had also worked for the most detestable man on Taris before betraying him. Juhani wasn't about to shed any tears for Davik. The child of Taris's slums wanted to congratulate Canderous for leaving that twisted monster to die. The Jedi chastised her for thinking so.

He had once said that he was primarily interested in a good fight, but had something changed? The strange ritual in the Kashyyyk woods, the fact that he took charge of the crew while they licked their wounds on Yavin. He had no real reason to go out of his way to respect Jedi and Republic sympathizers, but did so anyway.

_There is no ignorance, there is knowledge._ The only thing she could conclusively say for the situation of working with Canderous; it had to be the Force's will to throw a living embodiment of all that she feared and hated at her. This was a test of her own strength. In her heart, she could never truly forgive the Mandalorians, but perhaps understanding them was not beyond her.

Catching her breath, she scrambled over some more steep hills, taking a more direct route than Canderous would be able to follow. Stopping on a ridge, she glanced over the barren surface of this cursed world, and allowed herself to be still for a moment, falling into meditation stance.

"I'd advise you to leave. You're too far from Dreshdae to be a hopeful, and there are Mandalorians scouting the area."

Juhani broke stance and turned around. He was dark-complected and medium height for a human male, which meant he stood just a whisker shorter than her. He wore a dark coverall, and carried a pack, but there was a lightsaber on his belt. A Sith. There was something odd about him that she could not quite place.

"I was unaware of a Sith expedition in this area." She kept her voice neutral, but her hand moved for the vibroblade, preparing to draw. If he sensed she was Jedi...

"It's just me for now. The name's Dak Vessar, and I'm here on a research mission. What's your business here?" He seemed to be sizing her up. "Wait a minute..."

Dak Vessar? Air and Water, it had been _years_. Of course, the fact he was on Korriban. "Dak? That is you, isn't it?" She pulled down her veil. "I...hardly recognized you."

He blinked and shook his head as though there were dust in his eyes. "Juhani? It's been a long time."

"Yes. Dak, what are you doing here? Did...did you fall to the Dark Side?" His Force aura didn't seem all that dark, but if he were on Korriban with a lightsaber...

He crossed his arms. "I didn't fall, Juhani. I had my eyes opened. Besides, I could ask you the same thing. Last I recall, you had your own doubts. What are you doing here?"

"You could say I am here to seek my own knowledge," she said. "Korriban is a world that tests you."

"You're right about Korriban, but the rest? You're a lousy liar. Have it your way, Juhani, like you always do." Dak waved her off with a brush of his hand.

How easy it would be to start an argument, and how little she wanted one right now. _There is no passion..._

"You're not sporting robes or a saber. You finally leave the Order?" he asked.

Juhani wasn't sure if she could give an answer and not endanger herself or him. "It's a long story," she said.

"Did you leave to become a mercenary? That's a viable option, especially with the war going on." He shrugged. "I can't see you going for the Academy. You never liked being caged or dealing with politics. Half the reason I went into field research was to stay away from there. Too many knives in too many backs."

"So, you are not a Sith?"

"I'm not a big adherent to the Code, but technically I am. While Uthar Wynn has his students plundering the Valley of the Dark Lords, I'm heading out to find artifacts from more recent history, but I've run into a complication."

"Is it anything you need assistance with?"

Dak crossed his arms. "That's entirely the wrong attitude for Korriban, but yes. Mandalorians – lots of them. This was their main base during Exar Kun's War. They're probably after whatever they can salvage. Those barbarians can't actually appreciate anything."

"You are a historian, a digger. Somehow, I am not surprised."

"I am," he said. "Wouldn't mind a partner, but I know you – always running your own agenda where I wasn't included."

"Dak..."

"I'll forget I saw you if you forget you saw me," he said. "Mind the Mandos. Skewer a few on your vibroblade in revenge for our homeworlds if you find some, but I'm going back to my work."

As suddenly as he had appeared, he was gone again, vanished into the maze of canyons and valleys, the inherent darkness of Korriban obscuring her Force vision so she could not track him.

What she did find was a small pebble of an odd grey-green left behind. She did not recognize it, but she picked it up and put it into her belt pouch.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

While the trio left to guard the _Ebon Hawk_ knew that they were safer on the ship than in any part of Dreshdae, the long weeks of waiting were starting to grind on them.

On top of it, the uneasiness he was feeling had little to do with being cooped up with a pair of younglings (while Zaalbar was technically a bit younger than him, Wookiees needed a full century to come of age). The Shadowlands was polluted enough with the Dark Side, but this place was so choking thick with it, that it made his nostrils burn.

One of the techniques he picked up during his self-imposed exile was the ability for his body to stay in one place while his sight went elsewhere. As it was self-taught, it wasn't perfect, and he had limited range around the academy. The Dark Side shielded the place so much that he couldn't actually penetrate it. However, he had taken care to memorize the Force aura of the crew, all the better to be discreet about this.

He didn't like what he was sensing. Juhani and Canderous were safe for the moment. Kairi and Carth...

There hadn't been a good way to break the respective news to them, and he reluctantly admitted to dragging his feet on the matters. He told himself there wasn't any evidence, or that the ship had ears and no good would come of it. Besides, they weren't in any danger at that point. They certainly were in danger _now_, and the ex-Sith Lord was in less danger than her partner, hard as that was to believe.

However, one crisis at a time. After meditating on it for the better part of the day, he came up with a plan to get exactly what he needed. Mission was wearing yet another hole in the floor behind him, and the incessant footsteps were Making his tracking difficult, but it did give him an idea. He cracked an eye open.

"Hey, Mission. I'm getting cabin fever here. I'll bet you're having the same."

"I'm bored out of my head-tails. You got an idea?"

"You're pretty good about getting into places you oughtn't. I need to get something that's common enough, but highly illegal to possess without proper licenses filled out in triplicate."

"Okay, grandpa. What's really going through that head of yours?"

"Perceptive. Well, part of it is the cabin fever, but part of it is to run an experiment. There's something I've always been curious about, but I can't confirm until I get my hands on a scanner."

"Like what, exactly?"

"Mission, you've been with the crew the longest. Have you noticed any changes in some of them, personality-wise?"

She scowled. "Sure, but I just figured that having to work together brings out the best in us. Canderous was cracking heads for Davik and he was _miserable_. Of course, working for a crime lord, I'd figure that would come with the territory. He seems calmer now. I wouldn't call it 'nicer' directly to his face, but he's happier, I'd guess."

"And Juhani having to work with him...With her background, I'd figure she wouldn't want anything to do with him."

Mission shrugged. "I just chalked it up to her being Jedi. Aren't they trained to ignore things like that and go 'there is no emotion?'"

"Trained, yes, but a little thing called sentient nature tends to throw a wrench in that part, and I never bought that line much anyway," Jolee pointed out. "And has Carth always had those 'gut feelings' of his?"

"Long as I've known him, yeah. Guess he wasn't just being paranoid when he said things didn't add up with Kairi's story. Of course, he's taking the whole thing about her past pretty hard. It's not like she can remember it or anything, so I'm not seeing the big deal."

"Carth's been with her the longest, though." He drummed his fingers against the floor, thinking. "And have you noticed anything else about him, aside from those gut feelings that turned out right? Strange luck? Coincidences working out in his favor?"

Mission looked incredulous. "Not sure what you're driving at, but he had those thing even before he really knew Kairi. They met when their ship got attacked by the Sith, and they made it on the last escape pod out. Well, Kairi was hurt by a plasma shock – that's why she can't remember anything. Carth was able to land their pod in the Upper City, haul her out of there just as the Sith patrols were marching in, and found a hiding place in some dump where the landlord was completely ignoring the law and renting to aliens."

_Oh, kriff._ "That's an awful lot of coincidences and longshot odds."

"Worked in their favor, didn't it?" Mission said with a shrug. "I know you Jedi don't buy the idea of luck, but I guess Carth just lucked out that time."

"Maybe he did," Jolee said. "Anyway, I'm up to shamelessly ripping off the Sith to restock our medical supplies, and I have just the plan to do it. Interested?"

Mission smiled. "Oh, I'm always ready to cause trouble."

"Oh, trouble's not hard to find on Korriban. The challenge is being able to get yourself out of it."

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Uthar's position meant that he had to interact with Upper Tier students, so he made it a point to have an office in hid private suite and regular hours for appointments. He wasn't exactly surprised that "Kairi" was the first to bring him an artifact from the valley, and even less surprised when she brought back a scroll from the library to explain what it was.

"It took me a while to cross-reference it, but I believe this holocron is from Sorzus Syn, one of the eleven exiles that became the first Sith Lords. Or the maker was an apprentice of hers at the least.

"Go on, explain how you came to that conclusion."

"It is heavily damaged, but what little I have been able to obtain from it is incomplete instructions on Sith Alchemy, with a particular interest in bio-shaping..."

He studied her – formal stance, deferring (not much like a true Sith, but certainly appropriate for a student), very few words spoken as she placed it on his desk and gave an academic analysis of what little she could salvage from it.

Uthar scrutinized the holocron after she gave her dissertation. "From the belly of a tukata queen, you say? How ironic, considering her specialty."

"Yes," she said. "It has been badly damaged, but some effort at it may result in at least a partial recovery of its contents."

"Indeed," Uthar looked it over again before putting it to the side. He picked up the scroll. "This is High Sith, young one. I wasn't aware you knew the language."

"Linguistics is a talent of mine," she answered.

Inwardly, he breathed a sigh of relief. Revan had been quite the language scholar, cautioning her armies not to over-rely on the Force when it came to communication. Still, he would have to make an effort soon to discern how much of Revan's power and knowledge remained. "I should like to hear the story of how you learned it, however. It's not a common sight in the galaxy."

She froze. Was this a glitch in her programming? Uthar hoped so. One of the better ways to break a Force compulsion was to start making the affected one question it, instill doubt in the illusions the caster wanted to maintain.

"I asked you a question," Uthar said, assuming his best professorial demeanor. "The Jedi do not teach High Sith, nor have your instructors been teaching you. Even Yuthura doesn't read it as well as you apparently can. So, where did you learn it?"

She seemed to be contemplating lying. Uthar supposed the Jedi might take some of her talents and try to rebuild a persona that used them, along with their equally false explanations. Either that, or she would make up a lie and try to hide it. Instead, she took a surprising option.

"I do not know," she admitted. "I suppose if you ran my brain through your medical droid's scanners, they would have an interesting puzzle. Several months before coming here, my mind was damaged in a battle. I had to re-learn everything, including my name. I suppose I learned it before my accident. I can't tell you the specifics of where or when, because I no longer know them myself."

"Interesting." So, she told him the truth instead; albeit, one that left out the bigger picture.

"The Order claimed it would help me. Instead, they took advantage of a chance to reshape me to their liking. From a tactical point of view, it's quite brilliant, but I did not appreciate the manipulation. That's why I am here." Again, mostly true.

Uthar was definitely pleased. Revan was in better shape and more intact than he thought. All he would have to do is push on the right fault lines. "The Jedi's peculiar ideas about 'truth' send many to these halls. You're hardly the first, and probably not the last. And what of Lashowe? She mentioned going to the valley to recover an artifact matching this description. She never returned."

"She is buried in a cairn in the Valley. We argued, we fought. She did not guard her back sufficiently," she answered curtly.

"Elimination of a rival is a credible means of advancement, but not worthy of prestige in itself. That was Jorak's Uln's mistake."

"Jorak?" She asked.

"My former master. He isn't dead, but he's in no position to challenge me, either. While life must compete in order to flourish, there is more to being a Sith than cutting down rivals. This is an institute of learning; not a mere combat arena. So, you had killed Lashowe. Why did you not leave her body for the tu'kata?"

"I said that she is dead because she failed to watch her back, not that I killed her. Dustil was the one who saw an opening during our duel. I dueled and defeated him afterward. As for burying her? She fought well, and I suppose I still feel I owed a last respect to a worthy opponent. I managed to convince Dustil of my opinion."

Uthar raised an eyebrow. An interest in the Onasi boy? That was an interesting turn, but not unexpected, given his father's presence on her ship and on the planet. "Why did you not kill Dustil as well?"

"There was nothing to gain from it. You said it yourself; eliminating another student is not an act of worth. Lashowe only died because she failed to yield."

"Ah, interesting," Uthar said. He knew it wasn't the full truth; the real reason was no doubt some residual loyalty to the boy's father. "However, neither you nor Dustil are fully committed to the Dark Side. You both waver on its edge, certainly. In the end, the victor will have to commit fully – with your blade in his back or his in yours. Are you ready for that?"

She straightened. "If it is what I must do to accomplish my goals, Master."

Uthar smiled. "The answer I expected. I'll add an additional allotment to time with the training droids as well as the prestige. You are dismissed."

After she left, Uthar picked up the holocron and turned it in his hands. So, her skills were still mostly intact, especially her linguistic talents. Her Force abilities were not yet as prominent, but that probably could be attributed to the shackles of Jedi dogma and brainwashing. And her alliance with the Onasi boy played right into the overall plan better than he'd hoped.

Uthar checked the clock – time to work on the second half of the equation. He already sent a note via the alleged "protocol droid" to have Carth meet him in the instructor's training room. That way, they weren't going to be subject to prying eyes. No sense in giving too much away just yet.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

An old man in a worn garment that may have once been robes walked the streets of Dreshdae. On his belt were the distinct bulge of lightsaber, and a control for a slave collar. Walking the regulation meter behind was a Rutian Twi'lek girl who was starting to develop the hourglass figure that her species were renowned for, covered in an unflattering tunic and leggings. Perhaps the old man had use for her beyond the conventional uses for a female Twi'lek slave, but this was Dreshdae, and when a stranger walked through with robes and a lightsaber, people tended to back away slowly and keep questions to themselves.

Their first trip was to the Drunk Side Cantina. Unlike most cantinas on the planet, who subscribed to the Sith's human-centric philosophy, the Drunk Side was popular with the few aliens of Dreshdae; the oenwe having figured that credits were credits, no matter the race who spent them. The old man sat in a back corner and watched for a while. Like a million other sleazy cantinas, a Pazaak shark had set up court, refreshing himself with drink while fleecing the patrons. This one was a Rodian with dusty clothing ten years out of date. Perhaps he had fallen on hard luck, or he had been chased out of the galaxy's more reputable establishments.

The old man nodded to his slave, and she walked over with a Pazaak deck.

_"Greetings, sentient. Are you willing to engage in a hand of Pazaak? I am afraid there are few takers on Korriban... it would be good to have a little fun, for once."_

"My master sent me over. He likes to watch me play Pazaak..." she dropped her voice conspiratorially. "Mostly because he's bad at it himself."

_"Ah, the classic spectator – those who cannot like to watch those who can. Did he give you credits to play with? If you must know, I am quite proficient at Pazaak. I would not wish to begin a game under false pretenses, and he might be most unhappy when you lose." _

That's when the old man came over. He had his face wrapped up in rags, and a hood pulled low. Besides, to the Rodian, most humans looked alike anyway. He put some credits on the table and sat at the third seat, to watch the game. "Start at a hundred, girl."

Cards were dealt, and the game began.

* * *

KOTOR 1

* * *

Another run through the obstacle course just outside the academy walls, another round with the training droids. Stripped to nothing more than a thin bodysuit, Kairi ran the gauntlet. It was cold on Korriban, despite the region being technically in summer. The planet had a far enough distance to be on the colder end of life-supporting worlds, but not enough to be an ice planet.

_Nothing less than perfection..._Drawing on the Force in a life-or-death situation like her duels with Lashowe and Dustil didn't take as much effort as it did to manipulate it when the stakes weren't life-threatening.

One of the shots barely missed her, and she swerved out of the way. _Almost got me. Why didn't I see that? _

She ran through the sand trap, trying to will the Force through her legs for additional speed. Instead, her movements felt clumsy and slow. This meant she wasn't able to dodge an incoming shot, and had to deflect it with her lightsaber. _Damn!_

Staggering through the sand trap, she made it as far as the wall of rock. Since her attempts to increase her speed with the Force hadn't worked, she wasn't going to bother trying to leap the wall. The best she could do was to throw out a unwieldy jolt of telekenesis that sent a pair of the droids smashing into one another, sending them both off-course long enough for her to scramble up the handholds.

_It's getting harder all the time to draw on the Force. Of course, I start failing when I'm in the most danger. Serves me right to have it abandon me. _

One of the shots was close to her hand for her to feel the heat as it scorched the rock. _Pay attention, you fool. _She jumped over the wall and began another full-tilt run for the finish, jumping over the gauntlet of sharpened blades swinging across the finish line's path.

Barely dodging the last one, she nearly collapsed as soon as her feet crossed the finish line, but she heard the sound of applause. Looking over her shoulder, she saw Yuthura, wearing a similar bodysuit.

"Impressive. The Force serves you well."

"It doesn't," Kairi answered sharply. "It doesn't feel like I'm at my full strength at all."

One of Yuthura's arc tattoos arced in a good impersonation of a skeptical eyebrow. "If that's not your full strength, I'd like to see you when the gloves really come off." She walked up to Kairi. "It's common to fallen Jedi, what you're experiencing."

"It is?" she asked skeptically.

"One who is recruited as a Sith doesn't have to unlearn a lifetime's worth of 'there is no emotion, there is peace.' It's like learning to walk without having your legs shackled together by a meter-long chain and cuffs around your ankles," Yuthura said. "You'll be a bit clumsy for a while."

Still breathing heavily, Kairi made her way to the bench next to where Yuthura was standing. "You speak as though you have experience in that regard."

"I do," she said. " I am originally from Sleheyron, if you must know. I was a slave to a cruel master, Omeesh the Hutt, but I harnessed my anger and that's why he is dead and I am not. That is all you need to know for now. We can exchange niceties once Uthar is gone, if you desire."

"About Uthar," Kairi said. "I heard a rumor he has hired a new servant to take his meals with."

Yuthura shrugged. "Yes, his new toy. Uthar's like that. He rarely leaves the academy, much less the planet. So, if he goes to Dreshdae and finds a spacer or mercenary that can attract his interest, he invites them to stay a while. If they are fortunate, they're rewarded with some credits and other trinkets of appreciation before Uthar lets them go. The unfortunate ones, he will kill himself or send to the dueling room as practice for the students. It's a good thing he's found a new plaything; it will distract him."

_Perhaps Carth's not in immediate danger, then. Of course, when – not 'if' Uthar makes the connection between him and Dustil..._

"As for you, I heard Lashowe is dead. I told you she was too trusting. Looks like it was the end of her."

Kairi shook her head. "I didn't plan to kill her. We fought some tu'kata to get a holocron. When we finally obtained it, I sensed she planned to take all the credit for herself instead of taking it back together as agreed. We quarreled, we fought, she died."

Yuthura shrugged. "One less opponent is a good thing, no matter the circumstances. Were I you, I would focus on Kel next. The boy burdens himself with doubts and anxieties. It is sad to watch, really, for he does possess a certain flair with the Force, and he is an excellent scholar. He will not survive long, however. Someone will betray him soon enough, and he will be dead. If you are smart and you know something, that person should be you."

Kairi sighed and tried to pass it off as trying to catch her breath. _There is no salvation; there is oblivion. _"I'd think Shaardan would be a better target. He's talented, but he's lazy."

"And he's afraid of you. Whatever happened when you ran across him in the colony...Well, I would have loved to have seen it." She had a wicked grin on her face.

Now it was Kairi's turn to raise an eyebrow. "He was the reason I was less than impressed with your students. He made a poor first impression."

"I gathered that. Well, he's a good alternative. Not terribly popular, either. The only down side is that he'll be on his guard should you approach. Kel? Well, he's a lot like you in some ways. That will get him lowering his guard."

Kairi took another deep breath, pulling on youngling tricks to try and reduce her heart rate. "Uthar said that merely killing my rivals is not an act of worth."

"Kill all of them, and you force his hand," she said. "But you have a point. It seems you got double the points out of your expedition; one for retrieving the holocron, and a second for demonstrating that you can read High Sith. Seeing as even I haven't learned that, I'd say you have quite the future here."

"I could teach you," Kairi offered, rising to her feet and looking Yuthura in the eye.

"You have odd notions for someone hoping to become a Sith," Yuthura said. "An apprentice isn't supposed to be the one imparting a skill."

"The writing in Naga Sadow's tomb would be in that language. Uthar knows the language and you don't. That gives him the edge in discovering the temple's secrets. However, between your connection to the Dark Side and my linguistic talents, Uthar's outmatched." Despite herself, Kairi found herself smiling. "And wouldn't learning those secrets for yourself under his nose be quite the victory?"

Her other Force abilities took more effort, but her empathy was as clear as ever. Yuthura's emotions were easy to sense – the citrus taste of delight and the electric thrill of temptation. Mixed in with it was the orange flame of curiosity and the musk smell of attraction. One purple finger reached under Kairi's chin, and she felt a strange pull. In another life, another place, she would have been glad to be Yuthura's; to learn with, to crave power, to fight as one until the time when their bond ended in death at the hands of each other.

"Now that's what I like to see... the flash of ambition in a young human's eyes. Your species has such remarkable retinal coloring, did you know that?"

Kairi forced herself not to break eye contact. "I did not, milady."

Yuthura lowered her hand, and the overwhelming jolt of emotion muted to something more curious. "Let's try going through this course together, shall we? I want to see more of what you're capable of."

* * *

KOTOR 1

* * *

By contrast to the outdoor training course used by the students, the instructors' training room was in a sub-basement. Like everything else reserved for the instructors, it was locked down tight, and off-limits to students. When Carth arrived, Uthar was in a simple shirt and drawstring trousers, using a strange type of sword against a group of training droids. He seemed to avoid slashes and cuts, focusing on pointed jabs and thrusts to strike the droids with precision, despite the awkward-looking blade.

As soon as the last of the three droids collapsed in a smoking ruin, Uthar seemed to notice Carth's entrance. "Greetings, Mr. Antilles. I always appreciate your punctuality."

Uthar was like swimming with a firaxa shark. It was going to bite him eventually, but his curiosity and fascination were enough to almost forget what he was dealing with. Perhaps learning the underpinnings would make him better able to fight his enemy. This was the kind of opportunity most in Republic Intelligence would kill or die for.

What was that Kairi _(Revan – never forget that)_ was always going about? _Learn how they think? _"What is it this time? Another race through the obstacle course?"

"We can get to that later, I think. Actually, I need a bit of practice other than the droids. Open that box over there. There will a second blade like this one."

Carth did as he was asked, but that itchy feeling crawled up his spine again. He ignored it as he pulled out the weapon. "This is more like a club than a vibroblade!"

"They're a rarity for Sith; something designed merely for sparring. Vibroblades are effective, and everyone ought to know how to duel with them, especially as Echani cortosis means that some fools think they can duel a Force User and win." He paused. "And mind the blade. It's lined with pelko barbs, and they'll cripple your limb for several hours should it prick the skin. A strike on the torso has a small, but not insignificant chance of being lethal should it be too close to a vital organ."

"I'm...supposed to spar you? No offense, but I don't stand a chance."

"Only at this time," Uthar said with a dismissive wave. "Who knows? Someday, you might be the one to kill me."

Carth raised an eyebrow, convinced that Uthar was completely out of his mind, joking or both. He swung the strange weapon using a basic slash attack and was shocked by the recoil.

Uthar seemed not to notice. "You've practiced sparring drills with a vibroblade, correct?"

"Yes, and I...I uh, picked up a few different ones when traveling. Smuggling boats tend to attract interesting mixes of crew."

"All the better not to adhere yourself to a single style or tactic. Practice your own style until you can perform it in your sleep, Mr. Antilles, but _never_ be afraid to learn or push yourself. Now, I will go through the most basic drill. Follow my movements until you get used to that blade."

The actual drills weren't much different than what he practiced on the _Ebon Hawk_ with the wasters – the points of attack; head, left shoulder, right shoulder, back, left leg, right leg. Followed by the five basic blocks – forward parry, head parry, lower right block, lower left block, torso sweep...

Uthar was carefully assessing the movements. _He's picked up some Shii-Cho, it looks like. It's not entirely unreasonable that that Bastila and Revan would want the non-Jedi to be able to carry their weight in a melee battle. And since the form was originally designed for blade combat, it's not surprising, either. _

They practiced the drills for hours, until Uthar's arms felt an ache and his younger "sparring partner" was sweaty and obviously tired. But he had not complained or questioned the entire time. What a good sign.

"Thank you, Mister Antilles. This has been a satisfying workout."

"Glad...glad you think so." Carth was breathing heavily. "This still feels...strange."

"Well, it's not a common vibroblade. Your muscles will get used to the gyroscopic kick in time. And to hold stance with an unfamiliar weapon is a good tool, should you find yourself needing to improvise in combat."

"Uthar...why are you doing this? Not that I'm ungrateful, but it's a little odd that you're bothering with me. I'm just a normal guy. I don't carry a lightsaber, and I'm not able to wield the Force or anything like that. It just seems a little odd that you're...well, that you'd hire a guy just to keep you company for a while."

Uthar took the training blades and hung them up. "Power and position are double-edged blades, Mr. Antilles. My own apprentice is hardly trustworthy, and I'm surrounded by eager and foolish younglings that I must take responsibility to shape into Sith. For example, it's been ages since I practiced with these blades. I'm used to a lightsaber. It's easy to lose perspective in the isolation, but few would be brave enough to sup at my table and speak of the wider galaxy, so I can appreciate it when one accepts the challenge."

"So, it's lonely at the top?"

_He truly has no idea, does he? _Uthar pushed outward with a little jolt of the Force, just enough to cloud Carth's mind a little bit more. He was nowhere near as gifted as Lady Revan had been with this technique, but it was enough to deflect Carth's suspicion. Ah, sleepers. All the disadvantages and few (if any) of the benefits. He wouldn't have to keep this tactic up much longer if he played his cards right. "Exactly, a challenge to one's perspective forces one to have to explain it, defend it, teach it. One must be challenged in order to grow."

"So, with the Sith, it's all about challenge?"

"Very much so. One must always be seeking knowledge and power, to walk in the places others fear. That is our task in the Force. Evolution, my friend. The strong rise and the lesser fall behind."

"The more you talk, the more you seem to make sense. Never gave much thought to the Sith aside from staying out of their way."

"Few will," Uthar said. "In the meantime, visit the fresher. My servant will send down suitable clothing. I will see you at dinner."

* * *

KOTOR 1

* * *

Toll Apkar knew he was up to his antenna stalks after the third round, but a cross of gambler's pride and a Rodian's appreciation for a struggle kept him in. Worse, the skifter cards in his side deck never seemed to come up, no matter how sneaky he was planting them in the deck, and the flipper device he had hidden in his sleeve developed an odd quirk. Every time he used it, it seemed to deliver exactly the wrong card. Soon, he looked over his cards and the stack of credits that had gone from a thick pile to a thin wad. _"It seems I have been bested at my own game. Fair enough, sentient... you are the superior player and here is your reward. I do not think we need to play any more games to continue proving the point."_

The old man sitting next to her pocketed the funds. "This will do nicely. She pays her own upkeep this way."

_"Must be a really good slave. You watch, old man. She will pocket some of that and buy her freedom if you let her!" _

"'If,'" he said. "Now, we need supplies for my ship. Where would one get things like food and medical supplies?"

Toll shrugged. _"Czerka has the good stuff, but they know it and overcharge. Food? Not sure what you eat, but Czerka would probably stock that, too. Their employees practically have a town to themselves. Just head a kilometer east of Dreshdae, and you'll see it. Hard to miss."_

"Thanks," he said, throwing a pittance of Toll's lost winnings back on the table. "For your trouble."

Toll watched as they left and pulled the cheating devices he had out. He really had to get those darned things fixed, and maybe he had just enough credits to do so.

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

"Were you using the Force back there?" Mission asked after they left city limits and were heading for Czerka's compound.

Jolee shrugged. "Just a little telekenesis to short out the methods he used to cheat. He probably got so used to playing with those toys that he relied on them. When someone gets used to a crutch, all you have to do is kick it out from under them and..."

"Do I want to know how much you've won and lost on Pazaak that way?"

"No, because I never kept score. I always play an honest game, even if I have to 'force' it to be honest. No sense in playing it otherwise."

"No offense, 'master,' but you probably made a better smuggler then a Jedi." Mission started to rub her neck. The false slave collar didn't have the shocks or the explosives that one would normally have, but it was still itchy, heavy, and unfomfortable."

"I probably did. Always liked it better, too. The pay, for one. Now, the next part of the plan will be tricker. Credits always work to grease palms, but your talents for not being seen will be useful in the warehouse." He looked over. "And don't pick at the collar. Enough of that, and they'll know it's fake."

Mission pulled her hand away. The prospect of having to fight when outmatched was a lot more uncomfortable than an alleged collar. "You just work your mojo on the guards, and I'll get what you're looking for. But what makes the scanner you're looking for better than the scanners we have on ship?"

"Only a very high-end scanner will have what we're looking for, Mission. And I hardly call what we have on ship adequate for much else than weighing spice. The only thing that saved our butts was that we took advantage of Manaan's cheap supplies. Besides, if you're going to steal, steal big. First, you slice a terminal and send me a list. From there, I can guide you to the model we'll need."

Czerka's compound was almost a completely enclosed town unto itself, complete with city walls and guards at the gate. A little hand wave and Jedi Mind trick from Jolee got them through without showing ID or paying a bribe.

The company apartments weren't too different than the ones they say on Tatooine or Kashyyyk – utilitarian, and made of duracrete. The ones on Kashyyyk had been constructed of local wood, but the charmless, boxy appearance was the same. Workers in company coveralls and uniforms flitted through the streets, as did the handful of spacers who had business here.

One of the technicians looked up. "Pardon me...uh...Master? But it's rare to see a Sith come to the Cerza facility. May I ask what your business is here?"

"Medical supplies," Jolee said. "And there's no law about where I can spend my credits, is there?"

"Of...of course not. If you're looking for those, the supply office is along the east wall. However, this facility is mostly for mining and for show. As it's commonly known, Czerka's board of directors have contracts with the Sith Empire. A facility here, despite the low profit margin, is necessary for appearances, especially considering how important this world is to the Empire."

"Well, then, I don't suppose they would have any issue in selling me some equipment, then."

"Do you have business with the Academy, then?"

"My business and credits are my own, boy. Stop bothering me."

The technician grew very pale and backed away. "I...I meant nothing by my question. East wall, just past the border of G sector."

Jolee motioned for Mission to follow and was on his way again.

A minor corporate officer saw the exchange and pretended to watch with only mild interest until the old man and his so-called "slave" had vanished into the crowd. Looking around a second time to verify they were nowhere to be seen, she pulled out the comlink she had hidden up her sleeve and walked into the nearby alley on the pretense of taking a personal call.

"Lord Bandon, I believe I have spotted two of the Republic agents you told us to watch for – the old man and the Twi'lek. They're in the Czerka compound to buy supplies."

"Good, but are there more of them?"

"No, just the pair."

"Then I'll make certain they don't get back to their ship. Your credits are being transferred."

"A pleasure doing business with you."

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Kairi was ordered to take the rest of the day to rest, which meant she had a small opportunity to perform the clandestine check-in. She sent the signal via T3-M4, verifying the heavy encryption.

T3 chirped, and after a few seconds, a miniature holo of Carth appeared in the droid's projector. "Yes?"

"I'm ahead of the pack as far as prestige points," she said. "And the final test this year is getting the Star Map."

"Not surprised," There was still that pointed tone to Carth's voice.

Kairi took deep breath before delivering the next bit of news. "I've also found Dustil."

Now, it was Carth's turn to take a long pause. "You have? How...how is he?"

Should she tell him about Dustil, and their alliance? Not yet, she reasoned. If Dustil knew about the existing alliance between her and his father, it could cause the boy to do something stupid and force her into an untenable position. Furthermore, Uthar might be able to pick up on any information, however slight, and it would blow their covers. Their promise to one another – no secrets – would have to be suspended. Still, conscience gnawed at her.

* * *

KOTOR 1

* * *

Carth's heart must have stopped beating for a few seconds after she said those words, because time stood still and he could perceive nothing else. It was one thing to hear that he might be alive, but to know he was so close and that Kairi had confirmation...

"You have? How...how is he?"

"He's as safe as he can be for now," she said. "But he is formidable, Carth, and dangerous. He is in Upper Tier with me, and has had to fight every centimeter of the way. He...he's a lot like you."

Carth pinched the bridge of his nose. Funny, he always thought his boy took after his mother.

"Carth, something isn't right with you. It hasn't been since that incident in the shop," she said. "What is Uthar discussing with you, and what kind of tasks is he assigning?"

Should he tell her? After all, they did promise "no secrets" and so far she had kept up her end of the bargain. However, considering they were in the middle of Korriban, she was the ex-Dark Lord, and probably was going down a greased slope to old habits, it might be better to keep quiet and give out information on "need to know" basis only. Besides, it wasn't like Uthar's eccentric games and tasks were anything serious...were they?

"He likes books. And history. You and he had some great dinner conversation back in the day, apparently, and he's bored out of his mind. He sends me out to pick up supplies for him, mostly errands into Dreshdae or taking care of things like cataloging the contents of the armor room - busywork."

She got that little frown on her face, which meant she didn't entirely buy his story, but was going to let it slide. Carth half-wondered if Revan had that tell, or if that expression was Kairi's alone. (Did it matter?)

Partly to steer the subject, Carth mentioned, "He's not thrilled with his apprentice, though. It's probably part of the job description."

"She's not thrilled with him, either. Do you think he intends to kill her soon?"

"Can't tell. I'll ask."

"If he is, then we might be able to trap both of them. Keep your ears open. Maybe he'll get careless over dinner conversation."

"I sure hope so. I'm off to meet him in an hour. Carth out."

After the transmission cut, HK-47 swiveled his head toward the door. "Analysis: Gaining prestige in a Sith Academy is the means by which students advance over others. It it earned by acts like combat prowess, academic cleverness, or by retrieval of artifacts."

"So?"

"Statement: One Upper Tier student, designation 'Lashowe' was last seen with Mistress designation Kairi, and has been reported deceased. Analysis: It would seem that one point of prestige was awarded on that basis."

"One less Sith. I'll let that slide."

"Analysis: In the end, only one Upper Tier student survives the final exam eighty percent of the time. Out of the top two scorers, only one survives the final exam ninety-nine point eight percent of the time. Conclusion: It is very likely that Mistress R-. Correction: Mistress Kairi will likely need to eliminate meatbag designation 'Dustil' in order to advance."

That stopped Carth cold. He never thought of that before now, and a combination of horror and rage shot through his chest. Damn her! She was already to blame for Dustil being in this mess in the first place. She was to blame for everything!

"Then I guess we find a way to pull him out of the running – like it or not."

* * *

KOTOR 1

* * *

The Czerka liaison officer was a thin, balding man who looked to be under far too much stress and far too much paperwork.

"I'm afraid your slave will have to stay outside. We've had to tighten the guidelines about slaves in Czerka buildings since that awful mess on Edean."

"Edean, you call it?" Jolee said.

"Our corporate outpost there has been destroyed by the Wookiee savages. The few who made it out were reassigned to here for the most part. We've heard all about how those brutes literally beat some of the extraction personnel with their own arms." He shuddered. "Perhaps it was a mistake thinking we could make any use of those beasts. Now they are doomed to remain savages forever... or possibly become extinct. Very sad. I can set her up with an escort of security guards if you don't want her running off..."

Jolee had to sigh inwardly. Ah. He never did bother to learn what Czerka tried to call his home. The fellow wasn't evil, but he was ignorant and believed what he was told, which was just as bad. He nodded to Mission and gestured to the door, holding up the remote. "She can't go too far."

He winced at the slave collar's remote, but didn't say anything overt. "Of course."

Mission played the part of obedient servant and trudged out the door, her lekku twitching. Jolee had to suppress a chuckle. His master back in the old days was a Twi'lek, so he knew enough of head-tail gestures to recognize an obscene one. _Kid will make a damn fine smuggler. She's got the right attitude. _

Jolee pressed a blue button on the collar remote. On a real slave collar, it would activate an explosive that would literally blow the head off a slave that got out of range. On their fake collar, it engaged a microphone so Mission could hear the conversation. "

The Czerka officer sat behind his desk, hands folded, and posture attentive. "Now then... was there something you needed? Normally, when we do business with a Sith, it's through the official channels at the academy – bulk orders."

"I'm not with the academy. I'm just passing through. I'm interested in stocking up for my ship. Medical supplies mostly. My scanner's broken past repair, and I need to find a high-end one."

"Well, this outpost is mostly for mining, and accidents happen, so we do carry those. There aren't many orders for those supplies outside the mining operations, however. The Sith are a rather secretive lot, and they don't allow Czerks employees into the academy, even for supply runs. If we have to fly supplies out to their digs, the men aren't allowed to leave the supply vessels."

"The Sith have their reasons. You'd do well to keep your men on those ships. This is a very dangerous planet."

"Is it true that Korriban was inhabited long ago by other Sith? Our aerial surveys have found what looks like ruins out in the wastes. The Sith have marked off whole areas as off-limits to mining." Sensing he was reading into potentially dangerous territory, he backpedaled a bit. "I don't really care about those ruins unless they pose a danger to my men. I'll leave them to their business and try to run mine."

"Smart," Jolee said. "Now, what I'm looking for is a scanner capable of midi-chlorine analysis. You wouldn't happen to know that term."

He shook his head. "Once or twice, but it's not a term I'm familiar with, aside from a midi-chlorine scanner requires authorization papers signed by Uthar Wynn – he's the headmaster of the academy. And it's a guideline he set up himself, so it would be a good idea not to get on his bad side."

"I'll go and talk to him then," Jolee said, lying through his teeth. With a slight hand gesture and a push of the Force through his voice, he asked. "I'd just like to see the catalog so I know which one to request."

"Of course, I'll pull up the catalog, so you know which one to requisition. I can't let you buy it, but I don't see any harm in seeing our models." The Czerka officer reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a datapad, handing it over.

"Ah, good," Jolee said. "Model Eighty-five delta looks like a beauty..."

Outside, Mission knew an implied order when she heard one. Checking to make sure no one was looking at her, she ducked behind a recycling crate, reached under her shirt, and engaged the stealth belt.

The trick to stealth fields in a crowded area was to not get too close to anyone, lest they see that the air around them was distorted slightly. Unfortunately, being in a stealth field also distorted your vision, like you were looking through thick fog or or smoke. That's the reason why one had to move only as quickly as one dared. Griff taught her the basics, mostly to steal from less-than attentive shopkeepers and the occasional Upper City apartment that left their door encryption unlocked or easy to slice.

Fortunately, she was able to get off street level using a fire ladder and the rough surface of the crude buildings to climb onto the roof. The warehouse was only a block over, built into the compound walls. The only thing between her and it was a long jump...and a longer way down if she missed. Deep breath, back up. Take a pause before you start to adjust your eyes...run!

Reaching the edge of the roof, she launched off into a long jump, but instead of her feet meeting the neighboring roof, they caught only air! She had a split-seconf of panic before her fingertips clawed out and grabbed duracrete. She was clinging to the roof's edge.

Phew! Pulling herself up slowly, and ignoring the screams of protest from her shoulders, she pulled herself up onto the roof, kneeling for a second to catch her breath. Check her inventory – annoying collar, security spikes, hold-out blaster (hidden in a jacket that was thick enough to pass for light armor), single stun grenade in case they ran into trouble – everything was intact. Crawling on hands and knees to compensate for the poor field of vision, she inched her way across the rooftop, looking for an entrance.

The worst time Mission had with stealth was when she was hiding out in the sewers after Griff left. Too many gangs and troublemakers saw an unaccompanied Twi'lek girl as prey, and Mission was trying not to be prey. She knew her crude belt couldn't hide her for more than an hour at a stretch, so she went looking for hidden places and tunnels to catch a wink of sleep. One of those tunnels turned out to have a nest to rakghouls sleeping. It would have been a fast and nasty way to die if she was noticed, but she had engaged the belt and took her chances because some Vulkars were in hot pursuit and looking to make her their next "trophy girl." She had barely made it across and sliced a terminal to close the door behind her when her pursuers entered the tunnel she had just left. As she disengaged stealth and ran away, the last thing she heard were screams.

Shaking her head to bring herself back to the present, Mission found an escape hatch on the roof and was able to slice the lock to get it open. Climbing down the fire ladder, she entered the warehouse. It was stocked floor to ceiling with crates, most of them labeled only with droid code – stickers with a seemingly-random black and white pattern of overlapping lines and boxes. Anything other than a droid with the proper scanner wouldn't be able to decipher the stickers.

_How am I gonna find anything in this mess? _

She saw her opportunity when a couple of Czerka employees working a supply terminal got into a conversation. She was too far away to hear what they were saying, but it seemed to be a good natured talk between friends. One of them slapped the other on the back, and they walked away, leaving the terminal unguarded. Using the girders to cross the distance and stacks of crates to scramble down, she got to the terminal and had to roll her eyes. The chuba-brain didn't even log off! It was easy tnough to punch up the code for the medical scanner Jolee wanted and summon one of the many hovering cargo droids and bring the device to a spot near the fire escape before dropping it on the floor.

When she got there, the scanner was waiting. It wasn't very impressive looking – greenish plastic and a monochrome display, but it was the model Jolee specified. Pocketing that, she climbed back up the fire escape ladder, onto the roof, and back down the building's side.

She disengaged the belt and made it to the door just as Jolee was walking out. "You got it, kid?"

"Oh, I got it, grandpa. I got it."

"All right. And here's our delivery..." An automated hover-sledge with several crates aboard pulled up in front of the building. "We just take this to the _Hawk_ and the programming will send it back to base once we've unloaded."

* * *

KOTOR1

* * *

Juhani had the campsite set up before Canderous arrived, exhausted by his climb. He gladly took the ration bars and cup of caff she had made before sitting on a rock and looking into the fire. When he glanced up, he saw her playing with a strange lump of material. "What is that in your hand?"

"I am not certain. It is obviously artificial, but beyond that..." She handed it over and he examined it.

"Detonite with a low-quality binder. I'm not surprised that it's easy to find around here. But I am surprised it's held up to the elements for forty years."

Juhani scowled. "An explosive? Unfortunately, I doubt it is a relic from Exar Kun's War." Canderous handed it back, and she put it in her belt pouch. "Remember the bodies we encountered, dead by lightsaber? There is a fallen Jedi at work in this area. I know very well his hatred for the Mandalorian people."

"You know this Sith?"

"It's closer to say he is a Dark Jedi, and those are more dangerous. Sith have a code and philosophy. He appears to operate on his own codes and compass. But, yes, I know him."

"What are we dealing with?" Canderous said warily. "Old enemy like Xor?"

Juhani shook her head sadly. "Old friend."

"Those can be worse," Canderous said. "Poisoned friendships produce the worst foes."

"Speaking from experience?" Juhani asked.

"Yeah. Jagi's my mother's brother's son. Same age, meaning we went through most of our rites of passages together. Of course, I was always a little better than him, so he became my second when we went to combat."

"Was it jealousy that poisoned your bond?"

"No. Althir. It was supposed to be an easy target, despite being on a good hyperspace lane. It was sparsely populated, the government dysfunctional, and the rocky rings around the main planet made a great place to hide a small armada. But while their government was lazy and corrupt, their fighters were anything but. They'd held us off for three days, and we took heavy losses. Even Brax Selha was thinking of calling it off, but we made one last move. My squadron was supposed to trick the Althiri into thinking the main attack would come for their flank and scatter them, then have the bulk of the fleet swoop in behind to mop them up, but things didn't go as planned."

"Something went wrong?"

"No, the opposite. In the confusion, they left their command ship wide open. I broke formation and charged. It worked. The command ship couldn't respond in time, and was destroyed within seconds, sending their fleet into disarray. However, there's no such thing as a clean victory."

"Jagi was captured."

"He was. We anticipated high casualties, and took fewer than expected, but he was still among those we thought dead." Eager to change the subject, Canderous asked. "So, who's this ex-Jedi we have to avoid?"

"Dak Vessar. He and I were both Padawans, joined the Order at the same time. His world was a farming planet that had the misfortune of being in the way of your people's crusade."

Canderous never thought he would wince, but he did. "Damn."

"The Revanchists found him, as they did me, and he sought out the Order, as I had. I remember him as kind, and an excellent student of history, but he was also... frustrated. He felt the Jedi were too controlling, too limiting... more so than I did."

"He wanted a fight."

"Looking back? I suppose he did. He burned with anger about the Mandalorians, and wanted to be out among the Revanchists fighting your people, though it would never be allowed by our masters."

"Long memory, short fuse."

"Very long memory, and very short fuse. When he decided to leave the Order, he asked me to come with him." Her voice choked. "He... he said he loved me."

Canderous shook his head. "And you being _dosh'kar'tay_, that couldn't have ended well."

"I did not know how to explain what I was to him at the time. My grasp on Basic is still imperfect. The most I could tell him was that he was a close friend, but nothing more. He was angry at my refusal. I... assumed that he would get over the hurt in time, both my rejection and the resentment of the Mandalorians, but I suppose such feelings can fester and darken, and they never go away." She poked the flames with her vibroblade, stirring up the embers. "He reminds me of what I had been when Kairi found me in the grove. I... feel sorry for him."

Canderous had made up his mind to discuss the thousand-ton rancor in the room, but he couldn't think of the words to actually begin the tale. Having the subject of a _dar'jetii_ in the area hunting Mandalorians out of revenge brought up just made the topic even more difficult to discuss.

"I wasn't at Cathar," he finally said. "In case you ever wondered about that."

Her hands curled tighter around the crude mug and she peered up at him, silently asking him to continue.

"I was out past charted space, my clan scouting new hyperspace routes around the Rim. It wasn't battle, but it was still risking oblivion in service to Mandalore. Our ships came after it was over, after the seas had boiled and the land burned. In the end, Cathar damned us. Malachor just finished us off."

"What do you know of what happened there?"

Canderous shook his head. "Cassus Fett was like Demagol; nothing more than brute force and blood-thirst. He's dead, _thankfully_. Back in the bad old days, I was idiot enough to idolize him. I believed in the Crusade, Juhani. One galaxy united, not under the sabers of _jetii ra dar'jetii_, but under our banner. We would all be strong and united, children of a single father." He sniffed and shook his head. "The foolishness of youth, but there was no honor to what Fett wrought on Cathar; no challenge, no risk to his men. The Cathar fought well, but we cheated them of facing us as equals."

"I do not understand how Cathar could have doomed your people," Juhani said, uncertain about where the tale would lead.

"You wouldn't, because I found out from the Revanchist Jedi we'd encountered that your Council lied to them. They felt our bloodbath in the Force, all right, but they tried to play it down, hide it from their Padawans and allies. They kept their silence for nearly a _decade_."

Now, it was her turn to be unable to meet his eyes. "I heard that myself. Quatra...used that as part of her plan to goad me to rage. It succeeded."

"I won't understand your Code and Council any more than you'd comprehend the _Resol'nare_," he admitted. He paused to take a bite of his rations, and continued. "Anyway, Revan came to Cathar, looking for the truth the galaxy tried to hide. Now, from what I understand, it was there she found her mask."

"I would have thought that she made it. I saw her on Taris, when she still wore ivory robes. Back then, she wore a veil which covered all but her eyes. I assumed it was a leftover custom from her forgotten homeworld or something similar."

"Perhaps, but it has nothing to do with the mask. You see, the Mandalorians took few casualties, and when the Cathar surrendered, Fett still pressed the attack. The Cathar were herded into the sea – hundreds, thousands of them. And that's when a lone Mandalorian – a woman from a clan so obscure its name has been lost to history – stood between the defeated Cathar and Cassus Fett."

"What happened?"

"In front of every gathered crusader, she looked Cassus in the eyepiece and said the battle was over, that no further honor could be gained by pressing the attack. She was right. We had the planet, we defeated its people. Instead, Fett ordered the missile strikes, and she burned with those she tried to save. The only thing left intact was her mask. Revan found the mask later, and always wore it into battle, reminding us at every turn that we had a chance to turn away...and failed to take it."

"When did you learn the story?"

"In bits and pieces through the war. But after Malachor, after what remained of us were put in chains and forced to watch as our war droids, weapons, and the very _bes'kar _from our backs were destroyed, Revan spoke to us and reminded us that our choice had been made on that world." Canderous stared into the fire, remembering more distant flames.

"But you still made your choice."

"And until recently, I never had chance to regret the ones I made. But this...this traveling with everyone, having to see through the eyes of those who were once foes...seeing what's left of my people, including myself, turn their back on honor to earn credits or become nothing more than bandits. And this thing with Jagi...It's made me question my choices, wonder if there is a better path to honor." He looked away from the flames and into the stars. "I've no family left, Juhani. Jagi curses my name, and the rest - siblings, nephews, nieces, cousins...even my wife – were lost to the war. You know as well as I do that Taris was nothing more than living death. When Revan came along, I was willing to take the risk, however small, of regaining my dignity and honor."

"It would seem that she has shaped us both, no matter what name she calls herself."

"She has," he acknowledged. "The _Ebon Hawk_ is my home, and her crew is my family. It's mere fact, now. Whatever regrets I have with my path, I won't regret that it's taken me here. "

"Canderous?"

"Yes?"

"I do not regret it, either."

"You path or..."

"My path and your mark," she answered before Canderous ducked into the tent to rest. She would take first watch.

* * *

KOTOR 1

* * *

They'd showered, Uthar sending a servant with an appropriate change of clothing for supper. Because of their exertions in the training room, it was simple fare; bread, cheese, and a broth-based soup with a water pitcher to share between them.

"So, with the kids you teach, how do you tell which of them go on to become Sith?" Carth asked.

"The training itself or the other students weed out the weak. Out of those, a handful who have earned distinction get to be the Upper Tier. Six of them this year, though we're down to five since Lashowe met her end. They compete in more intensive tests of academics and combat prowess, as well as being sent to retrieve artifacts like that vexxtel crystal, or raiding the tombs in the Valley."

Carth rubbed the back of his neck. "Don't you worry about the kids damaging artifacts or things like that?"

Uthar shook his head. "Those who cannot defend what they have deserve to lose it, and that includes the dead. Besides, the tombs are full of traps – anything from old battle droids to acidic pools. Before I waste an army of ordinary diggers, I might as well send a student to prove their worth by clearing the traps."

"Makes sense." Carth dipped the tough, stale bread in the broth to try and soften it. "So, the students earn their points, and then what?"

"Then, we take the top two and find a suitable test. This time, I choose the tomb of Naga Sadow. I recently found a way to undo the seal on the door, and had a chance to investigate it for myself. I'll take the candidates and place them in the tomb to retrieve a relic from its treasures. Of course, only one will be able to succeed. The other will die." Uthar said it with the matter-of-fact way one would explain docking protocol.

Carth frowned. "Why?"

"It is our way. There are no such thing as equals. There are those who have power and those who crave it. Those craving power must prove their willingness to grasp it. In the end, one will want it more than the other, and the one who is least ambitious can be cast aside."

"Sounds like it would consume itself in the end," Carth pointed out. "Power, but no longevity. Keep turning on each other, and you'd think the whole system would collapse."

"The galaxy is never short on volunteers willing to try, so the point is irrelevant," Uthar said.

"So, who are the lead students, or should I not ask?"

Uthar leaned back in his chair. "Well, there's a fallen Jedi Yuthura's fond of. She currently leads the pack in prestige, despite arriving only a short time ago. The one in second place is a young man named Dustil; someone I never thought would advance as far as he has..."

Carth tried to hide his reaction, but couldn't stop his blood from freezing. It wasn't a surprise Kairi was top of her class, but Dustil...

Uthar was going to send Dustil to fight her? She would have to kill his son to get that Star Map. The Maps were key to saving the Republic, but doing so meant that he was as good as sending his son to death! Fear started to snake its cold tendrils through his heart.

"And that's the only way. One wins, one dies."

"That's right."

_Think, Onasi, think! _"Why not send Yuthra instead? Have her be the one that gets killed in the last test."

Uthar raised an eyebrow. "Interesting idea. What's your logic?"

"You've told me a few times that she doesn't have what it takes. So, take care of it. You take the winner, put them through the maze to get the relic, and then have them off your apprentice? You get a new apprentice that's worthy of your time."

Uthar considered that. "That's quite inventive, actually. I like it. Had you been a student, I'd award you points for that idea. I'll consider it. Either way, the Upper Tier still have a long way to go. And I have another assignment for you, one you can start in the morning."

"What is the assignment?"

Uthar steepled his fingers. "It's a more difficult task, but I think you and your droid might be up for it. Normally, I would send a student to accomplish this. It's in the tomb of Ragnos – on the west side of the valley, high up. One of the academy's security droids malfunctioned and holed up in there. Destroy it, and bring me the memory core so that our technicians may examine it for the defect."

"You want me to go into a Sith tomb?" That strange itchy feeling began to crawl up Carth's spine again.

"A tomb that has been plundered already for the most part. Students last year broke through most of the traps and brought me relics from it. We were set to let the ordinary diggers have a go through it when this happened. And a man of your fighting experience should have little trouble with a rogue guard droid. Should you fail and perish, I can always send a student."

Now, a sense of insult and annoyance bubbled up and that itchy feeling started to burn. If he really gave it any thought, Carth would have realized his reactions hadn't been quite right since landing on this rock. However, he was only focused on doing whatever he had to to get that damn Star Map and dragging his son out of here – willing optional. Self-awareness wasn't a critical mission component.

"Take your droid, and you'll leave in the morning."

As soon as Carth left, Uthar pulled out the holocron. It was mostly useless, but what little he had been able to analyze of the contents fit with Revan's analysis. Even as "Kairi," Revan was off to promising start in reclaiming the Dark Side, hunting artifacts, reading the language, and eliminating a rival.

Her choice to spare the Onasi boy was troubling, but he wouldn't interfere so long as it served the greater plan. Alliances were never a good long-term strategy among Sith. She would have to kill him eventually, and that would no doubt cement his father's fall. Unless Dustil and Carth were placed in a position to kill one another and then she would have to kill the survivor – which would no doubt reawaken the Dark Side within her. From there, she would need his help in regaining her lost power, and bringing the Sith back to a policy of rational conquest. While Sith Lords tended to have short and brutal reins, a man behind the throne could live a long and comfortable life while still benefiting the Sith as a whole.

And if one of the Onasi men got lucky and killed her? Well, then Malak and Bandon both owed him a favor. The surviving Onasi would have no other place than at his side, all the better to get that foot-dragging Twi'lek out of his way. Yuthura wasn't without her wiles or skill, but she wasn't quite strong enough to actually take up the mantle of shaping the Sith's future. Dustil was more of a sure bet, but Uthar wasn't willing to count out the elder Onasi. What was the saying? _"Experience and treachery will conquer youth and talent?"_

No matter how any of this played out, Uthar calculated, he came out ahead.


End file.
